1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:08,000 And then we'll have the pledges. Dear Lord, I come to you this morning, and thank you for the start of another busy week in busy day. 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:16,000 We thank you for your many blessings upon us in this community, pray that you would be with us in the decisions before us today. 3 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:18,000 In your name, I pray, amen. 4 00:00:46,000 --> 00:01:04,000 Next item we have on the agenda is to consider approval of minutes this would have been our April 8 meeting and a copy of those are in front of each of you. 5 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:18,000 All those in favor, any opposed, motion approved. Item 4 citizens communication anyone with us this morning that would like to 6 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:28,000 bring up an item of county business that's not yet listed on the agenda is welcome to do so at this time. 7 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:44,000 I'll write well, then we will move right along to item number 5, which is consider approval of accounts payable for Victoria County and take appropriate action. 8 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:54,000 Our accounts payable for April 15, 2019, can't go to total of 495,000, 6,000, 7,000, 7,000, 3,000, and 18,000. 9 00:01:54,000 --> 00:02:02,000 And our supplemental checks for the week came to 130,000, 666,000, and 43,000. 10 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:18,000 Second, all those in favor, any opposed, motion approved, item number 6 received monthly and quarterly reports from various county officials and departments and take appropriate action. 11 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:26,000 This morning we have my morning reports from the justice of peace, freezing number 2, and number 2 in full. 12 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:39,000 Second, all those in favor, any opposed, motion approved, item number 7 consider approval of bond for feature releases and take appropriate action. 13 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:47,000 Easy enough, item 8, consider approval of citizens medical center, interim vendor payments and take appropriate action. 14 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:54,000 You each have the April 11 letter from the hospital showing interim vendor payments in the amount. 15 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:59,000 A five hundred thousand three hundred forty four dollars and seventy seven cents. 16 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:10,000 The ACH report on that same day of April 11, 2019 was in the amount of two million three hundred nine thousand five hundred dollars and sixty nine cents. 17 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:20,000 Second, all those in favor, any opposed, motion approved, item number nine. 18 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:28,000 Here presentation and discuss possible public defender program and take appropriate action. 19 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:34,000 Let's see, and we are going to have let's see was it David Hall who. 20 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:37,000 Okay, yes, that's right. 21 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:43,000 We've met David good to see again and then Edwin co-facts. 22 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,000 We spoke with the Texas Intergent Defense Commission. 23 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:50,000 Well welcome both of you, appreciate you'll be in back here. 24 00:03:50,000 --> 00:04:01,000 I know we've visited before some of our district judges county court at law judges, but we wanted to have the full court. 25 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:06,000 Here to be part of this discussion and to have our questions answered. 26 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:07,000 So appreciate you all being here. 27 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:13,000 I guess I'll turn the floor over to whomever whichever you wants to. 28 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,000 Give us some background on this and then we'll hear. 29 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:21,000 I'll offer so I'm Edwin co-facts on the grant program manager at the Texas Intergent Defense Commission. 30 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:27,000 I appreciate a chance to visit with you all this morning about some of the grant programs that we offer. 31 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:34,000 And in particular on indigent defense programs that support a public defender program provide indigent defense services. 32 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:37,000 So first is a little bit of quick background about our agency. 33 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:42,000 The Texas Intergent Defense Commission was created back in 2001 by the legislature. 34 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:50,000 It is made up of judges county county judges constitutional county judges criminal court judges. 35 00:04:50,000 --> 00:05:04,000 Some elected officials and some attorneys and the mission of the indigent defense commission is to ensure that people's six amendment rights to have council when charged with the crime even if they can afford it are honored. 36 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,000 So we work with counties to provide some funding. 37 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:12,000 We provide some oversight and technical assistance for counties. 38 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:16,000 All counties are eligible to get formula grant funding from TIDC. 39 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:27,000 And unfortunately that only covers about 10 to 14 percent of the county's cost for appointing lawyers to indigent defendants. 40 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:32,000 That's the formula grant funding that pretty much everyone gets including Victoria County. 41 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:37,000 Our commission has been advocating for years to be able to do more and provide more assistance to counties. 42 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:42,000 We work with the legislature and do what we can with the funds that we receive. 43 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:45,000 So that's kind of our baseline funding that we're able to offer. 44 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:51,000 We have what we call an improvement grant program which is projects specific grants that we offer. 45 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:55,000 And including grants to operate a public defender program. 46 00:05:55,000 --> 00:06:09,000 So traditionally in here in Victoria County, indigent defense responsibilities are met by the judges creating what we often refer to as the wheel or a list of attorneys who are qualified to provide representation in those cases. 47 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:17,000 And then those attorneys represent the clients they're appointed by after they're qualified as as the indigent. 48 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:21,000 They're appointed an attorney the attorney sends a bill into the court. 49 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:29,000 They they review that bill one by one and then approve or in some cases adjust the payment and send that off to the auditor. 50 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:31,000 The auditor makes the payment to the attorney. 51 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:35,000 Public defender program is a different model for providing indigent defense. 52 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,000 It's a little more integrated. 53 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:45,000 It's more cohesive and some of its primary benefits are providing enhanced oversight and accountability with respect to this function. 54 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:53,000 So the way a public defender works is sort of like a the other side of the coin from the county attorney of the district attorney's office. 55 00:06:53,000 --> 00:07:05,000 You've got staff attorneys who are hired when there's sufficient case volume and certainly in the county as big as Victoria you have plenty of cases to justify having some staff attorneys dedicated to this work. 56 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:15,000 Those attorneys on staff court documents they're they're routinely getting out to the jail to interview the clients as soon as they're appointed. 57 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:18,000 To get things rolling on the cases. 58 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:28,000 Starting representation from our experience much earlier than most appointed private lawyers are able to do because of their they're competing obligations. 59 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:43,000 And so this sort of what I would say more cohesive or organized approach to providing indigent defense services has a lot of benefits and the our commission has kind of prioritized this as a. 60 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:53,000 Model that is preferable because of the enhanced accountability that comes along with it when you have a staff attorney they are supervised they're. 61 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:58,000 Getting training there they're being you know their work is being looked at. 62 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:05,000 The judges who have the responsibility of you know kind of providing that oversight on an assigned council system. 63 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:10,000 They see the attorneys in the court taking please and occasionally in trial. 64 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:16,000 And that gives them some visibility into the quality of the work and whether they're checking all the boxes they need to check. 65 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:23,000 But that's only a kind of a sliver of the work that the attorneys are doing is the work that happens in the courtroom. 66 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:29,000 And so the extra accountability and oversight that comes along with the public defender model has made this a kind of priority. 67 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:36,000 For the commission in terms of encouraging counties to look at this model and providing grant funding to come along with it. 68 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:45,000 So the kind of improvement grants that our commission offers the standard model is for us to just provide startup funding for counties. 69 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:56,000 So in a regular grant we would provide 80% of the cost in the first year step down to 60% the second year 40% third year 20% and then eventually have the county pick it up. 70 00:08:56,000 --> 00:09:05,000 For public defender counties of rather for public defender projects in rural counties and we draw that line at 100,000 or less. 71 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:10,000 The commission has approved what we call sustainability grants. 72 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:21,000 But for these types of grants we'll still start accounting off where the state funds 80% of the project costs in the first year steps down to 60% of the project costs in the second year. 73 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:26,000 And then basically levels off at 50% costs moving forward. 74 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:36,000 Basically we provide extra funding on the first two years to get the grant to cover some of the costs associated with the transition from private design council. 75 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:41,000 The public defender model and then level off at 50 50 state county cost sharing. 76 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:48,000 That's a very good deal for counties in the sense that you still continue to get your formula grant funding from TIDC. 77 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:52,000 That formula grant funding while it's only a small percentage of your overall costs. 78 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:58,000 Is based in part on 50% of that numbers based on the county's population. 79 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:00,000 So that part is going to stay the same. 80 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:05,000 And then 50% is dependent upon the county's overall expenses for endage and defense. 81 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:08,000 So you still get that formula grant funding coming in. 82 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:16,000 You get 50% of the cost of the public defender covered in year beginning year three would be higher percentage in the first couple years. 83 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:27,000 Obviously the state is able under this kind of a model to pick up more than 50% of the costs of county and direct defense, which is the best deal we have going. 84 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:29,000 And much better than the standard formula grants. 85 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:36,000 The reason the commission feels comfortable with that and is provided these grants in this way for offered these grants in this way. 86 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:44,000 Is because of that extra quality assurance that you get you really know you have a much better sense of what the county is getting for its indigent defense spending. 87 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:56,000 And those folks have our operating within a program that has supervision, mentoring, you know employee reviews on an annual basis. 88 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,000 There's just a lot more oversight comes along with it. 89 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:06,000 And so that's kind of the rationale behind why we're able to offer that higher level of funding for this type of a program. 90 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:08,000 So the grant. 91 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:10,000 We offer these grants in common annual basis. 92 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:16,000 We are coming up to a deadline of May 10th to put in a request for one of these public defender grants. 93 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:23,000 I know that we a TRL, oh, I should circle back and say that counties have a couple of options on how to operate a public defender. 94 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:30,000 One option is to do it just like you would do the county or district attorneys office and the county directly hires staff. 95 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:33,000 Staffs up an office and operates it directly. 96 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:47,000 TIDC beginning back in 2007 I believe it was started a program with B county to in partnership with Texas Rio Grande legal aid to operate a public defender under contract. 97 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:50,000 So it's sort of outsourcing model that counties can use. 98 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:56,000 And it's really kind of a turn key operation in the way that TRL is able to offer these services. 99 00:11:56,000 --> 00:12:00,000 So TRL, they're a nonprofit corporation. 100 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:05,000 They staff up to provide the indigent defense services and represent those cases. 101 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:13,000 They'll open an office in the jurisdiction and provide all that kind of oversight and accountability that I was referring to. 102 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:24,000 And for most counties, particularly smart counties, the big urban counties that have public defenders generally choose to operate them directly in the way that the district attorney works county employees. 103 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:27,000 The county's find that contracting or outsourcing. 104 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:30,000 These services works better for them. 105 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:36,000 It manages those kinds of, you know, you don't have to worry about the pension obligations and health insurance benefits and all that. 106 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:41,000 It's kind of covered by the nonprofit that contracts with the county to provide the services. 107 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:46,000 So that's the model that we've been discussing with Judge Zeller and a few other folks here in the county. 108 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:53,000 I know that TRLA has provided some preliminary budget numbers and then refined those numbers with some based on some feedback from Judge Zeller. 109 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:59,000 In terms of the process with the grant at this juncture. 110 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:05,000 It is important to get a grant request into us before that May 10th deadline. 111 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:11,000 However, if there are still questions about the scope of the program or budget details to be addressed. 112 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:18,000 When you turn in a grant request to us before that deadline, you can just note that the budget is still being finalized. 113 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:24,000 If you will, the main thing is that we just have a request in the hopper that's under consideration before that deadline. 114 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:27,000 And then the details can continue to be discussed. 115 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:35,000 If you do decide to move forward and turn in a grant application to us, the county is still under no obligation to move forward with the project. 116 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:47,000 It just keeps it allows us the opportunity to work with you to see if a project can be put together that meets everybody's needs and the budget that the county needs to see in order to move forward. 117 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:52,000 So that's kind of the deadline to bear in mind as we are coming up close to it. 118 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:58,000 TRLA and my agency are happy to work with the county if you would like an assistant strafting the application. 119 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:06,000 Because it's a program that a number of counties across the state are using we're very familiar with it and we could help you put together a grant application and pretty short order. 120 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:18,000 Our application is I would say much less honorist than a lot of government grant opportunities if you've ever waited through some of those ours is pretty straightforward. 121 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,000 So I'm happy to answer any questions. 122 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:21,000 That's kind of the overview. 123 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:28,000 I know that David Hall can speak to you a little bit or detail about the operation of his program. 124 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:31,000 Some of the budget numbers that have been provided for the commissioners. 125 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:33,000 Looking at both the preliminary budget. 126 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:37,000 That was provided and the refined budget based on your feedback to the dollar. 127 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:46,000 Looks like the county stands to save several hundred thousand dollars even after the initial step down from 80% funding to 50%. 128 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:48,000 Looks like it makes a good. 129 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:57,000 Looks good from a financial perspective for the county in terms of saving several hundred thousand dollars on this area of representation. 130 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,000 So I'm happy answering questions before I turn over to David or I can just. 131 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:03,000 But him talk about his program. 132 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:11,000 Okay. And we do have the revised projection numbers. I don't think I've seen the revised ones. 133 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,000 Okay. 134 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:20,000 Yeah. Well, I guess I'll point out for the benefit of the court and maybe those who haven't heard 135 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:27,000 about this have been involved in these discussions. We're relatively new to this discussion. 136 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:32,000 And early on in this discussion, it wasn't but about, well, when did we meet originally about? 137 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:38,000 Probably a month or 30 days ago. Three weeks ago. 138 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:42,000 And so I'm new to studying this and to looking at this. 139 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:50,000 But I have been studying it intently because it does have a lot of appeal to it. 140 00:15:50,000 --> 00:16:02,000 The model of having the public defender office in-house and also the nonprofit program are both from what 141 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:07,000 I've seen more expensive than doing it the way we're doing it now. 142 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:11,000 The perk financially is that this being a priority of the state. 143 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:14,000 They're willing to put a lot of investment into it. 144 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:22,000 That's about 80% the first year, 60% the second year and then 50% in each year following. 145 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:25,000 So that's what makes it financially a good deal. 146 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:28,000 It appears to make it financially a good deal. 147 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:35,000 I know in Victoria County we've got some quirks that are different than some of the other counties. 148 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:43,000 Y'all do business in a much higher co-dependent rate than normal. 149 00:16:43,000 --> 00:17:01,000 Also the dynamic of us having pretrial service department already, which was what I was wanting to see if it could be built into this proposal, those two dynamics. 150 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:12,000 The original estimate we saw showed, and I really am avoiding the first and second year because it will definitely save money the first two years. 151 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:18,000 On a permanent basis what we could reasonably assume are call savings to be. 152 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:30,000 That original estimate showed over $300,000 a year in call savings, which I thought could be increased. 153 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:41,000 And in fact would probably need to be increased given the fact that with our high co-dependent rate we'd still be maintaining a fairly robust wheel. 154 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:48,000 And so are you able to distribute those revised numbers now, or David, are you able to speak to that? 155 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:49,000 Yeah, well. 156 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:54,000 Turn over to you. 157 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:56,000 Are you going in a packet or anything? 158 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:57,000 No. 159 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:58,000 It's always a surprise. 160 00:17:58,000 --> 00:17:59,000 Yeah, I don't know anything about it. 161 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:00,000 I don't have a paperwork. 162 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:01,000 I don't have anything. 163 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:04,000 Well, I think the paperwork's right here. 164 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:06,000 Yeah, and I haven't seen this either. 165 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:15,000 Thank you. 166 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:18,000 Okay. 167 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:26,000 And these numbers came from where? 168 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:34,000 They came from the numbers that the county submits to the Office of Court Administration and to TIDC. 169 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:39,000 It comes off of their websites, both of them are on their website. 170 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:42,000 And with the permission of the county. 171 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:44,000 This is a very nice pleasure. 172 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:45,000 Wonderful. 173 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:48,000 Yeah, thank you. 174 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:49,000 Okay. 175 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:04,000 The first first thing that... 176 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:07,000 If it's all I have, I have a question. 177 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:08,000 Absolutely. 178 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:09,000 Is there... 179 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:12,000 What about our local attorneys? 180 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:20,000 You know, we have local attorneys that take care of the district and county court in law. 181 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:25,000 Are they able to continue to... 182 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:26,000 We went this way. 183 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:30,000 They more of us would wouldn't be able to, because they joined your... 184 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:33,000 Well, we would probably try to hire several of them. 185 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:36,000 If we can convince them to work for our salaries. 186 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:39,000 Our salaries are fairly low. 187 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:45,000 But we always try when we start up one of these projects to hire some local people. 188 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:48,000 Best example I can give you is star county. 189 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:54,000 We've got a little three county regional program that's involved in star county. 190 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:58,000 We hired the former district attorney. 191 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:02,000 We've been there as the DA for 20 years. 192 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:10,000 And we hired his first assistant, who is now our chief defender in the star county operation. 193 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:15,000 And we hired an investigator from the Sheriff's Office. 194 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:18,000 And we have six lawyers in that county. 195 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:25,000 So a third of them are from star county originally with experience. 196 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:34,000 But in order to operate, this would be a mixture of felony representation and misdemeanor representation. 197 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:42,000 Misdemeanor is we normally start out with fairly inexperienced lawyers, recent law graduates from law school, 198 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:48,000 and we train them in house so that they can come up through the system. 199 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:54,000 It's important to bring those kinds of lawyers in and train them from the beginning. 200 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:59,000 It brings a new bloodstream of lawyers into your community. 201 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:05,000 This program, because of the size of your case, would require about a ten lawyer operation. 202 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:12,000 And a good mixture would be four or five, six that we could hire locally. 203 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:23,000 And a similar number that we would bring in as a recent law school graduates to take on the misdemeanor document in case load. 204 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:32,000 Before I get any further into this discussion, I'd like to introduce, I don't need to introduce Ron Walker, I suppose. 205 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:33,000 We know Ron. 206 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:37,000 We do know Ron's on the TRLA board of directors. 207 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:40,000 So he's the boss of it all. 208 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:43,000 Robert Doggett is going to be here shortly. 209 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:50,000 He was having a child delivery issues at school today, so he's coming out of Austin. 210 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:54,000 So he's somewhat delayed, but he'll be here in a few minutes. 211 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:57,000 But he is the executive director. 212 00:21:57,000 --> 00:22:00,000 I'm the former executive director. 213 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:03,000 I was there for a number of years. 214 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:05,000 Ron was my boss. 215 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:07,000 He didn't fire me while I was there. 216 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:09,000 I retired honorably. 217 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:10,000 There he is. 218 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:15,000 And there's Robert Doggett who came in late and this honorably. 219 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:18,000 They should kind of just take responses. 220 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:19,000 Sure. 221 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:24,000 Mr. Jennings question regarding the local attorneys and what happens after this kind of transition. 222 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:30,000 So any kind of public defender program can only take up to a certain number of cases, 223 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:35,000 because ethical rules prevent them representing the code of attendance in this case. 224 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:39,000 There's always going to be a fairly significant amount of cases. 225 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:43,000 This is what the result of the grant to is a conflict on contemplative cases. 226 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:47,000 We're going to be at the chunk of the cases that public defender will be unable to take. 227 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:52,000 So there's going to be an ongoing stream of cases that would be appointed to the same lawyers. 228 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:58,000 The other thing that this program would not be involved with is the CPS cases. 229 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:03,000 Those family law cases regarding parental rights and criminal rights. 230 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:07,000 For most counties of that side of the. 231 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:11,000 The appointed council businesses is pretty significant growing. 232 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:15,000 This wouldn't really touch that area of engine representation. 233 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:20,000 So in terms of cases that would not be handled by this program. 234 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:24,000 Those are the big ones and fairly substantial. 235 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:25,000 Okay. 236 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:26,000 Okay. 237 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:28,000 So we're just talking about criminal cases. 238 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:29,000 Yeah. 239 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:30,000 Just to be here. 240 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:32,000 And if we could sense. 241 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:35,000 I know the court is seeing this for the first time. 242 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:41,000 We can look at this sheet right here commissioner on the green heading up at the top. 243 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:45,000 And look at exactly what is being proposed here. 244 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:48,000 What these folks do is look at our. 245 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:53,000 Statistics are case case number of cases we encounter. 246 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:58,000 And based upon that volume they. 247 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:03,000 And just use statistics statistical model estimate what they need in staffing. 248 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:14,000 Given the case load and Victoria they're estimating total full time employees full time equivalents of 16.08. 249 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:18,000 People of those 10 are attorneys. 250 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:21,000 So based on the case load they're seeing. 251 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:24,000 They would need to hire 16 people. 252 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:28,000 And you see the cost for that in salary and in benefits. 253 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:31,000 About 1.1 million dollars. 254 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:35,000 They also estimate their. 255 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:40,000 Other expenses utilities space telephone. 256 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:44,000 Contract services training all the other stuff about 200,000. 257 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:47,000 So based upon our case load. 258 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:53,000 Their program contract would cost us about 1.3 million dollars. 259 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:54,000 Correct. 260 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:57,000 Which certainly obviously is more than the. 261 00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:59,000 Roughly million we spent. 262 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:01,000 Again the. 263 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:05,000 Perk here in what makes this possibly feasible is that the state. 264 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:08,000 Is call sharing a lot of that. 265 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:10,000 Down at the bottom you see. 266 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:13,000 The 80% in year one. 267 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:17,000 Projected to save us about 777,000. 268 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:21,000 Year two at a 60% contribution. 269 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:24,000 543,000. 270 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:28,000 And then in year three with the 50% call share. 271 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:33,000 The savings is estimated to be about 412,000. 272 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:37,000 Those numbers were originally lower. 273 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:40,000 But in visiting with these folks about. 274 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:44,000 The fact that we're going to have to still maintain a private. 275 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:47,000 Private attorneys. 276 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:51,000 We would need to be a well. 277 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:55,000 Code defendants and a lot of this I learned for the first time here recently. 278 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:57,000 When there's a. 279 00:25:57,000 --> 00:26:01,000 A bust and arrest whatever where there's more than one person involved. 280 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:05,000 That's what you're purchased code to fit. 281 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:09,000 Code defendants which typically in y'all's areas is around 10%. 282 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:11,000 But here in Victoria. 283 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:13,000 Due to the. 284 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:17,000 Providence of I guess gang activity. 285 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:18,000 Meth. 286 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:22,000 Production it's higher than that around 25%. 287 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:24,000 The body system. 288 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:26,000 The body system. 289 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:31,000 So given that fact y'all were able to scale down your employees a little bit. 290 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:35,000 Thus increasing those cost savings. 291 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:40,000 One thing we'll have to though still consider on our end is what we would maintain. 292 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:43,000 Still maintain paying private attorneys. 293 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:44,000 Correct. 294 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:47,000 Which looking at that Caitlin we came up with. 295 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:50,000 I think around. 296 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:52,000 Roughly 200,000. 297 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:54,000 Roughly 200,000. 298 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:57,000 Is what we'd still maintain paying private attorneys. 299 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:02,000 So again this sheet that you're looking at here they're estimate on employees. 300 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:04,000 Needed total cost. 301 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:07,000 And then the estimated cost savings. 302 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:12,000 My goal in all this is to make sure that those numbers at the bottom right are accurate. 303 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:14,000 Those cost savings. 304 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:20,000 Because I would think we would need to be fairly confident we're saving at least. 305 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:22,000 250,000 ish. 306 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:25,000 To have some margin for error. 307 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:28,000 Constance our DA has something you want to morning. 308 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:29,000 Morning. 309 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:30,000 How are you doing? 310 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:31,000 Good. 311 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:33,000 I would be remiss at this jump. 312 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:34,000 I didn't speak. 313 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:36,000 I want to thank the gentleman. 314 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:39,000 First want to say that I know that this organization does fine work. 315 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:41,000 And I know that the counties that they are serving. 316 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:43,000 They're providing an excellent service. 317 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:49,000 The projected numbers that you're looking at that if I'm not mistaken are based on a glimpse 318 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:50,000 three years back. 319 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:57,000 And so under a different district attorney with the different philosophical approach to case management and 320 00:27:57,000 --> 00:27:59,000 charting decisions and things like that. 321 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:04,000 And so I have to tell you that I don't think that the numbers going forward are going to be reflected 322 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:06,000 what you're seeing on paper at this moment. 323 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:11,000 And so I'm not saying that in Victoria County in the future this may not be the direction that we need to go. 324 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:13,000 But I'm saying to you not yet. 325 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:20,000 I would appreciate the opportunity to have a full year or two under our belt to see what impact a new philosophical 326 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:21,000 approach has on these numbers. 327 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:23,000 I think that would be smart. 328 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:28,000 And at the same time, complimenting the court and the judge certainly for exploring any opportunity 329 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:30,000 to be good stewards of our tax dollars. 330 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:32,000 Not taking issue with that. 331 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:38,000 But I'm saying that perhaps it's premature this junction to make that decision because the numbers I think 332 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:39,000 are going to look a lot different. 333 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:44,000 So I need to sort that into as my duty as you're really like this. 334 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:45,000 Sure. 335 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:50,000 Speaking of the time frame, you had mentioned application needs to be made in May. 336 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:51,000 Right. 337 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:58,000 What is the time period for approval, a notification of award and that long term. 338 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:00,000 Tell me something. 339 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,000 Yeah that happens is June. 340 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:04,000 Tell me some stops along the way. 341 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:07,000 All the way to yonder on go in Victoria County. 342 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:08,000 Right. 343 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:11,000 The award decision to invite in June. 344 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:12,000 Right. 345 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:18,000 So our staff will typically present the request to our board and at the June meeting, which was early 346 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:20,000 June, they can take action at that point. 347 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:25,000 I mentioned that since the there's still some refining and then it's due to the budget. 348 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:33,000 If, you know, we don't present the grant request to our board until the county is fully ready to do so. 349 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:36,000 So even though we haven't made sense to have any kind of get something in the offer, 350 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:39,000 we've presented board in either June or August. 351 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:42,000 More likely I would think in this case it probably be right. 352 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:44,000 To present the board for action in August. 353 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:51,000 The startup program which typically be slated for the fiscal year 2020, which is the end of October on our calendar. 354 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:53,000 We're known for those counties. 355 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:56,000 So we'd be looking at starting up October 1st. 356 00:29:56,000 --> 00:30:00,000 Because the idea is whenever we implement it. 357 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:20,000 A larger program, that schedule often is hard to meet. So we don't have a move forward until all the stakeholders are prepared to move forward. We can leave the request pending for a few months, if needed, as detailed or worked out. But the standard time limit would be to start up in October, unless there's still work to be. 358 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:24,000 We're on a calendar year. I don't know if that makes a difference. 359 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:30,000 Now, on these numbers, you'll pull out the family loans, stuff that you can't do. 360 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:38,000 Yes, the family loss stuff is not included in the program. The case was were based on review as your district attorney just mentioned. 361 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:49,000 Her review of the most recent three years of data that we have about the volume of criminal cases and how many attorneys and staff would be needed for that case. 362 00:30:49,000 --> 00:31:05,000 And there has been, and I concur with the district attorney, there has been fairly dramatic change, even within this last three year period in which she was not in the role of the district attorney. 363 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:14,000 And that's not uncommon. You may see a 20, 30% difference from year to year, which is the reason we use three year averaging. 364 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:38,000 And we go back every year and look at the numbers over the most recent three year period and make adjustments. So if the case is decreased by 20% in the next year or the current year, that will be reflected in the next time the grant comes up for renewal, both with TIT and with the county. 365 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:54,000 So it's a running kind of an average that we're looking at and those adjustments are made throughout the period. And of course there's always the option if you don't like how the numbers are working for you to opt out of the contract. 366 00:31:54,000 --> 00:32:00,000 The only thing we ask is that you pay us for the cases that we still have obligations on. 367 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:23,000 And I'll speak briefly to that. That it is correct and appreciate constants you bringing that up because we do a different administration in the DA's office. I think we'll definitely lead to savings there to what extent we don't know yet. 368 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:46,000 Of course those savings would be realized without proceeding with the off we stick with our current program, but you're saying we'd also it seems like I know that dynamic is true we will see some lowering of calls, but with that unknown prevent us from proceeding. 369 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:55,000 If instead of a million we drop to 800,000 would that be a deal killer. 370 00:32:55,000 --> 00:33:04,000 And that's a question we have to answer and certainly something we need to consider because that is a variable here. 371 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:08,000 There's some other variables we'll get to but constants. 372 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:18,000 I didn't elaborate further and I'm not trying to tell you the meaning that the biggest jumps that we saw in our numbers coincided with the prior administration's data bi-trop calls. 373 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:24,000 And so one change in the way we do business can have a dramatic effect on the numbers that you're looking at. 374 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:26,000 The policies is wrong. 375 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:28,000 Right. Right. 376 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:36,000 We're only three months into administration and I'm not sure if I can guarantee the numbers are going to be lower going forward just because we are addressing things all different. 377 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:38,000 My predecessor. 378 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:43,000 A lot of the fact that he tried cases at three times the state average and we're we're not embracing that. 379 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:45,000 We've got a lot of opportunities and differences. 380 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:53,000 The other few concerns we is that if we go forward in this way with the code event of race that we have on the books, 381 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:59,000 the likelihood that the local attorneys that take those cases and accept, you know, they're part of their practice. 382 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:01,000 They will move in another direction altogether. 383 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:07,000 We can't make any practice without being, you know, on an important angle. 384 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:13,000 And so I need to go back to some of those folks with one of these 25% of our docket. 385 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:15,000 They're not going to be the course. 386 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:19,000 You know, it would be a realistic to expect that they're going to wait around for those cases. 387 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:23,000 They have to make a living and no one to other practice areas or go to another place. 388 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:25,000 And so that does concern this well. 389 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:27,000 I have a question. 390 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:32,000 We're right on the cuss of the population cut off for the funding of the levels you spoke. 391 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:38,000 In the coming year, our census census of about $100,000 to the formula does that change. 392 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:40,000 So we haven't been asked the question. 393 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:44,000 You asked that I would be the commission would I think look at that. 394 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:45,000 To the benefit of the county. 395 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:49,000 I don't think we would suddenly splash it when you get to 100,000. 396 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:50,000 We're right. 397 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:51,000 Correct. 398 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:53,000 We came up with that threshold. 399 00:34:53,000 --> 00:35:01,000 There's a bill in legislature currently that is directing our agency to prioritize funding for county for low 100,000. 400 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:04,000 Of course, any number you think you're going to be sort of arbitrary. 401 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:08,000 But I think the idea is that we want to prioritize the system. 402 00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:11,000 More counties compared to the ordinance. 403 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:15,000 And so I wouldn't anticipate that much of a risk coming. 404 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:16,000 Thank you. 405 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:17,000 Thank you. 406 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:18,000 Correct. 407 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:23,000 What we're exactly with this is historically. 408 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:29,000 Well, do you hire new attorneys fresh out of law school because they're cheaper? 409 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:35,000 I mean, you know, the attorneys we have here have got to help a lot of experience in this field. 410 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:37,000 We're looking for a mixture. 411 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:43,000 We need about equal number of inexperienced and experienced lawyers. 412 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:50,000 So TRLA is a very large nonprofit law firm. 413 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:55,000 We have currently about 185 lawyers. 414 00:35:55,000 --> 00:36:00,000 It's the largest civil legal services program in the country. 415 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:06,000 So that means we have to recruit constantly year round. 416 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:10,000 And we recruit all across the country. 417 00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:16,000 So we're always trying to bring in new people at right out of law school. 418 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:20,000 We bring in 15 or 20 a year in an ordinary course of things. 419 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:25,000 When you bring in, when you start up a new defender program at a jurisdiction, 420 00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:37,000 we always try to hire some of the experienced local lawyers as a priority because we need that kind of community knowledge and experience 421 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:41,000 to train and mentor the younger lawyers. 422 00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:45,000 And then we bring in that fresh blood from the law schools. 423 00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:50,000 And hopefully put them in the community where they'll stay in the community. 424 00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:57,000 And rise up through the ranks to management roles within the organization. 425 00:36:57,000 --> 00:36:59,000 So that's what we try to do. 426 00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:03,000 You're not always successful in doing that. 427 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:08,000 We prioritize, for example, in our recruitment efforts. 428 00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:16,000 People who are bilingual in English and Spanish because a significant number of our clients speak Spanish. 429 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:21,000 So we want to have people who can communicate in that language. 430 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:24,000 That reduces the poo fairly dramatically. 431 00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:27,000 And we make exceptions all the time to that. 432 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:31,000 But it is an important factor that we have to consider. 433 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:40,000 But yes, we will try earnestly to hire some of your local lawyers to take on these responsibilities. 434 00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:47,000 You don't have any idea over all what percentage on the facility you're already operating? 435 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:55,000 Well, I mentioned the star county, which is the closest in terms of size we're dealing with here. 436 00:37:55,000 --> 00:38:00,000 The star county has a population now, 62, 63,000. 437 00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:06,000 Victoria County's 92, and the last I'll look. 438 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:17,000 But star county's poverty population is about almost 50% of the population is eligible for our services. 439 00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:22,000 Victoria County, it's about 20% less than 20%, 18%. 440 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:30,000 So we actually have 10,000 more clients, potential clients in star county than we do in Victoria. 441 00:38:30,000 --> 00:38:33,000 But we've hired locally in star county. 442 00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:38,000 We've hired, as I mentioned in the former DA in his first assistant. 443 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:46,000 One of the other lawyers we had there was another person who had experience in the county attorney's office. 444 00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:55,000 But whenever we can find local experience lawyers who are good, we want to try to hire him. 445 00:38:55,000 --> 00:38:57,000 It's for everybody's benefit. 446 00:38:57,000 --> 00:39:08,000 What we're trying to do is run as operationally efficient as we possibly can, and that comes with having experienced lawyers who can work with the judges. 447 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:20,000 Your judges have been almost uniformly and outspokenly from the district judges who had experience with our program in Golead and Referio counties. 448 00:39:20,000 --> 00:39:24,000 Have been praising. 449 00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:29,000 And we did invite them all our four district judges to county court at law judges. 450 00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:32,000 They had conflicting court room obligations. 451 00:39:32,000 --> 00:39:38,000 But I know at least three, well three of our four district judges were supportive of it. 452 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:41,000 The other I just haven't spoken to. 453 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:47,000 I think one, where did our county court at law stand? 454 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:52,000 One, I know Judge Ernst didn't appear to be supportive of it. 455 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:55,000 I'm not sure about Judge Gillard. 456 00:39:56,000 --> 00:39:59,000 It sounded very much like Commissioner Janik. 457 00:39:59,000 --> 00:40:04,000 He was concerned about, and I think Commissioner Burns expressed this in the leading two, 458 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:10,000 concerned about the private attorneys who might be displaced in some proportion. 459 00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:14,000 And that was the biggest concern I think that he was articulate. 460 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:17,000 Yeah, and that's one variable we do have to consider. 461 00:40:17,000 --> 00:40:18,000 Yes, sir. 462 00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:19,000 Do you have somebody? 463 00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:21,000 If you just give us your name. 464 00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:22,000 Yes. 465 00:40:22,000 --> 00:40:26,000 I'm a local attorney and I've been practicing. 466 00:40:26,000 --> 00:40:30,000 I think this coming November of the 26 years. 467 00:40:30,000 --> 00:40:32,000 And it's always been here in town. 468 00:40:32,000 --> 00:40:33,000 Isn't this around the county? 469 00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:35,000 Isn't this a significant portion of what I do? 470 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:38,000 It was working on it for both criminal and some of the family. 471 00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:40,000 But not so much to have. 472 00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:42,000 Two observations. 473 00:40:42,000 --> 00:40:44,000 I don't have access. 474 00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:47,000 I don't believe to have all the numbers that you generally have. 475 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:50,000 I can't miss easily. 476 00:40:50,000 --> 00:40:52,000 Well, what I think I'm essentially hearing. 477 00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:55,000 And I've certainly been hearing about this for the last. 478 00:40:55,000 --> 00:40:59,000 Maybe four or six years with pretty high level of intensity. 479 00:40:59,000 --> 00:41:02,000 It's going around the court now. 480 00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:07,000 Is what I think I'm effectively hearing is. 481 00:41:07,000 --> 00:41:10,000 Maybe a defacto presumption. 482 00:41:10,000 --> 00:41:13,000 That the first year the grant will be. 483 00:41:13,000 --> 00:41:16,000 That that that is, I think, set. 484 00:41:16,000 --> 00:41:17,000 And the next year's 60. 485 00:41:17,000 --> 00:41:19,000 But I think the presumption comes in. 486 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:21,000 Where. 487 00:41:21,000 --> 00:41:23,000 That it's just going to get to 50%. 488 00:41:23,000 --> 00:41:25,000 And it's going to come from the same. 489 00:41:25,000 --> 00:41:28,000 And it's going to stay that way, potentially. 490 00:41:28,000 --> 00:41:31,000 Now, that's certainly possible. 491 00:41:31,000 --> 00:41:35,000 But as we all know when we're talking about the future. 492 00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:40,000 It's always contingent on various things that are used with all of our. 493 00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:44,000 It's kind of like you buy a new house. 494 00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:47,000 And you know, both neighbor. 495 00:41:47,000 --> 00:41:50,000 There aren't any houses there yet. 496 00:41:50,000 --> 00:41:51,000 You're one of them. 497 00:41:51,000 --> 00:41:53,000 The developer tells you will don't worry. 498 00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:54,000 We're going to. 499 00:41:54,000 --> 00:41:56,000 You know, we're going to. 500 00:41:56,000 --> 00:41:58,000 Surround you with very nice homes. 501 00:41:58,000 --> 00:42:02,000 Just like you know, but as time goes on, you may discover that. 502 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:05,000 That does really happen to be market forces and other things. 503 00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:07,000 For beyond the developers. 504 00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:09,000 Cool. 505 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:13,000 I'm not trying to say that the organization here is the developer. 506 00:42:13,000 --> 00:42:18,000 And you know, we just don't know about the availability of grants. 507 00:42:18,000 --> 00:42:23,000 They may still be here in the next four or five years, the next 10 years. 508 00:42:23,000 --> 00:42:25,000 Then again, they may not. 509 00:42:25,000 --> 00:42:27,000 No one knows where the economy is going. 510 00:42:27,000 --> 00:42:29,000 No one knows where they're going. 511 00:42:29,000 --> 00:42:35,000 The other observation I'd like to make is I have seen some numbers indicating that. 512 00:42:35,000 --> 00:42:41,000 The newer lawyers, the brand new lawyers will be coming out and working at your position. 513 00:42:41,000 --> 00:42:45,000 The numbers I've seen and sent me in an email. 514 00:42:45,000 --> 00:42:47,000 I believe it was 35. 515 00:42:47,000 --> 00:42:50,000 Maybe it was 45,000 dollars here. 516 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:52,000 Now, I'm not totally sure on that. 517 00:42:52,000 --> 00:42:54,000 You may have numbers to encounter. 518 00:42:54,000 --> 00:43:01,000 But I would submit that, you know, I'm fortunate enough to have to be old enough to have gone through law school. 519 00:43:01,000 --> 00:43:07,000 And gone through a code I code expensive law school where I paid for the whole thing with loans. 520 00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:12,000 And I borrowed the grant total of 24,000 dollars for all three years. 521 00:43:12,000 --> 00:43:17,000 Now, the time I got out, I thought that was the absolute king's ransom. 522 00:43:17,000 --> 00:43:19,000 But, you know, I paid it all. 523 00:43:19,000 --> 00:43:25,000 I believe that on this point, youngsters are probably coming out with eight to ten times. 524 00:43:25,000 --> 00:43:29,000 That amount of money that they have invested and more. 525 00:43:29,000 --> 00:43:33,000 I would submit that what's going to wind up happening. 526 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:38,000 At least with the brand new lawyers, it seems that the organization wants to hire. 527 00:43:38,000 --> 00:43:43,000 Is that they're not going to be here from now. 528 00:43:43,000 --> 00:43:45,000 They're going to be from larger cities. 529 00:43:45,000 --> 00:43:50,000 They're going to probably rent an apartment on a six month lease. 530 00:43:50,000 --> 00:43:55,000 And if they're probably, as they do a good job here, I'm sure they'll do the best they can. 531 00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:59,000 But they're going to be actively looking for something that pays more. 532 00:43:59,000 --> 00:44:04,000 And I would submit to you that after the six month lease, or after the year. 533 00:44:04,000 --> 00:44:08,000 And they're going to find something more lucrative and good life. 534 00:44:08,000 --> 00:44:09,000 Right? 535 00:44:09,000 --> 00:44:11,000 They're probably going to owed them that this amount of money. 536 00:44:11,000 --> 00:44:14,000 And everybody wants to do that. 537 00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:21,000 And so I submit that what's going to happen is that, to a large extent, the defense, 538 00:44:21,000 --> 00:44:28,000 or that you're going to get on these energy cases through no fall in their own or of the organization. 539 00:44:28,000 --> 00:44:30,000 You're going to have tremendous turnover. 540 00:44:30,000 --> 00:44:34,000 You're going to have people that work here for nine months and they've been six months today. 541 00:44:34,000 --> 00:44:40,000 Maybe you're 15 months and then they need to go to the stands on your work, or the school. 542 00:44:40,000 --> 00:44:42,000 But better, higher paying job. 543 00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:48,000 And so you're constantly going to have somebody else who's always being trained, 544 00:44:48,000 --> 00:44:51,000 that they're being trained in the courtroom. 545 00:44:51,000 --> 00:44:54,000 And you're not going to have to be experienced a little bit. 546 00:44:54,000 --> 00:45:00,000 But I think to have, as far as accountability, I have seen over the years. 547 00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:09,000 You know, it hasn't been epidemic, but there have been some lawyers on the one that was who clearly weren't taking their obligation seriously, and they were just kind of trying to escape through. 548 00:45:09,000 --> 00:45:21,000 And I've seen judges remove those from the lips, and it doesn't take very long. They figure out pretty quickly who cares, who does it, who is doing their homework, who is it. 549 00:45:21,000 --> 00:45:26,000 And you know, I think there's already a system in place that's called our judges. 550 00:45:26,000 --> 00:45:33,000 Or I'd like to look at the lawyers who maybe aren't going to take it seriously and send them on their work. 551 00:45:33,000 --> 00:45:44,000 So, again, I don't have any against the organization, but at the same time, I think there are parallels both financial and professional if the county goes to court. 552 00:45:44,000 --> 00:45:46,000 Well, thank you, Mr. White. 553 00:45:47,000 --> 00:46:01,000 I guess I could be more sympathetic to the second consideration about the turnover, maybe folks going to make more money elsewhere. 554 00:46:01,000 --> 00:46:15,000 The first issue we did talk about, the state pulling the money in the grant going away, but I don't think fear of that should prevent us from proceeding, if that's what we think we should do. 555 00:46:15,000 --> 00:46:22,000 Because if the grant goes away, we revert to the status quo. 556 00:46:22,000 --> 00:46:30,000 We don't want to, for fear of that, grab the status quo immediately. I mean, it's possible that do. 557 00:46:30,000 --> 00:46:42,000 I mean, if we were to go into this program and the money were to go away in three years or four whenever, we'd have to redevelop the and pay the expense of back to the attorney wheel, 558 00:46:42,000 --> 00:46:46,000 but in foregoing this option, that's where we are anywhere. 559 00:47:12,000 --> 00:47:23,000 I'm so, probably, I'm 53, I probably have the lower allows being another 18 years of working life left, that's what I'd like to do. 560 00:47:23,000 --> 00:47:32,000 And I think I can speak for most of the orders, people are going to wait around to see if we go back to the steps. 561 00:47:32,000 --> 00:47:40,000 But they're going to, like everybody else, they're going to move on to another life to put it, perhaps it'll be something else here in town and they'll be real. 562 00:47:40,000 --> 00:47:47,000 You know, a lot of us have backers degrees are very remarkable, and we may just go off and get something outside. 563 00:47:47,000 --> 00:48:00,000 What I'm saying is, if there's later an attempt to go back to the status quo, you may find yourself with virtually nobody who's willing to step up and do that, 564 00:48:00,000 --> 00:48:06,000 or especially once they get the idea that, well, you know, I do this gig for a couple of years and then you know, living in it. 565 00:48:06,000 --> 00:48:12,000 So I don't think it's going to be very attractive for people to want for lawyers to want to wait around to see how it works out. 566 00:48:12,000 --> 00:48:16,000 They're going to move on, they've got their bills, and so they want me to say. 567 00:48:16,000 --> 00:48:18,000 Thank you, sir. 568 00:48:18,000 --> 00:48:20,000 Yes, sir, Ron. 569 00:48:21,000 --> 00:48:24,000 I asked where I wasn't going to say anything, so I apologize. 570 00:48:24,000 --> 00:48:26,000 Well, then why are you even being here? 571 00:48:26,000 --> 00:48:29,000 Well, we didn't input. 572 00:48:29,000 --> 00:48:35,000 Judge Stevenson once said when I had, you want to question a witness, I said, I have no question. 573 00:48:35,000 --> 00:48:37,000 She said, that's most eloquent you've been. 574 00:48:37,000 --> 00:48:43,000 So anyway, I'm going to be less eloquent, but I do want to address the issue of the competency. 575 00:48:43,000 --> 00:48:52,000 I was appointed by state bar to be on the board of this organization over years ago, and it's can't quite get off, 576 00:48:52,000 --> 00:49:01,000 but the lawyers that they attract out of law school are absolutely outstanding. 577 00:49:01,000 --> 00:49:08,000 They are dedicated, they are to helping people out. 578 00:49:08,000 --> 00:49:13,000 They stay on, and I'm not exaggerating. 579 00:49:13,000 --> 00:49:21,000 Probably this year we hired people from Harvard, you know, Berkeley, you know, across the United States, 580 00:49:21,000 --> 00:49:25,000 UT, very competent people. 581 00:49:25,000 --> 00:49:34,000 What attracts them is the type of work that they want to help these citizens out. 582 00:49:34,000 --> 00:49:39,000 But also, we have a program of loan forgiveness. 583 00:49:39,000 --> 00:49:46,000 If you're with the program for two years, your student loans are forgiven 100%. 584 00:49:46,000 --> 00:49:49,000 Even if they're six figures, student loans like was referenced. 585 00:49:49,000 --> 00:49:56,000 Yes, I mean, we like to say we attract people from big name, law school, all across the United States. 586 00:49:56,000 --> 00:50:05,000 So what you're going to have is you're going to have some good local lawyers, 587 00:50:05,000 --> 00:50:13,000 and combined with these really brilliant young people who are going to be brought to this community. 588 00:50:13,000 --> 00:50:17,000 So I don't think you're going to see a downturn. 589 00:50:17,000 --> 00:50:22,000 In fact, I think the district judges will tell you there's no such thing or it hasn't happened yet. 590 00:50:22,000 --> 00:50:29,000 So I wouldn't be concerned about the quality of representation that these people are going to do. 591 00:50:29,000 --> 00:50:36,000 And what a quality lawyer will do, and I know the DA will agree with me. 592 00:50:36,000 --> 00:50:41,000 I'd much rather have a qualified lawyer on the other side of the one who's not, because you can get things done. 593 00:50:41,000 --> 00:50:46,000 So they're going to have qualified people who will be able to move these cases. 594 00:50:46,000 --> 00:50:53,000 Please, the ones they need to try the ones they need to, but you're going to have competency, not that you don't have it now, 595 00:50:53,000 --> 00:50:58,000 but you don't have to have a fear of incompetency, because you're going to have good people down here. 596 00:50:58,000 --> 00:51:06,000 And, you know, hopefully after a few years, they, you know, will move on and be members of this community. 597 00:51:06,000 --> 00:51:14,000 But I think the longevity is just not there, just because the way of this type of people they recruit and the structure of the lump together. 598 00:51:14,000 --> 00:51:19,000 So, to think of a good shape thing. So I'm, it's fine. I take up time. 599 00:51:19,000 --> 00:51:23,000 Oh, no problem. Thank you for that wrong. Appreciate it. 600 00:51:23,000 --> 00:51:34,000 I would just mention the, the, in addition to the loan forgiveness thing, we start off 60% of the first 12 months and 80% of their student loans in the second year. 601 00:51:34,000 --> 00:51:37,000 And then it goes to a hundred percent. 602 00:51:37,000 --> 00:51:41,000 It has been children that cost for the defender program. 603 00:51:41,000 --> 00:51:46,000 It, no cost to you or no cost to the state of the county. 604 00:51:46,000 --> 00:51:57,000 We're trying to work with TIDC to see if we can't shift some of that cost because it's been a little under $200,000 a year that we take on. 605 00:51:57,000 --> 00:52:03,000 On the civil side of our program, we have the same kind of job benefit. 606 00:52:03,000 --> 00:52:15,000 But there are a lot of alternatives through the state and through other sources for that kind of loan forgiveness on the criminal side of the docket there isn't. 607 00:52:15,000 --> 00:52:20,000 So we've continued that for our public defender lawyers. 608 00:52:20,000 --> 00:52:24,000 We start salaries at 50,000. 609 00:52:24,000 --> 00:52:27,000 After you've been licensed. 610 00:52:27,000 --> 00:52:31,000 And it goes up from there to about 75,000. 611 00:52:31,000 --> 00:52:39,000 Though most of the people with experience are in some kind of a leadership role that pays higher salaries than that. 612 00:52:39,000 --> 00:52:52,000 But if you're being paid 50,000, 52,000 in the second year, plus loan forgiveness, many of those are making 60 to 70,000 in effect. 613 00:52:52,000 --> 00:52:55,000 Because of the loan forgiveness operation. 614 00:52:55,000 --> 00:53:02,000 And that helps explain why our turnover program wide is around 10 or 11% a year. 615 00:53:02,000 --> 00:53:04,000 So it's pretty small. 616 00:53:04,000 --> 00:53:11,000 How does that compare to, I mean, that doesn't seem terribly high, given it's, it's not. 617 00:53:11,000 --> 00:53:13,000 What's the basis for comparison? 618 00:53:13,000 --> 00:53:16,000 What's the typical DA's office? 619 00:53:17,000 --> 00:53:21,000 Oh, we had transitions, but I know, not us now. 620 00:53:21,000 --> 00:53:26,000 There's been leadership changes, but just in general what? 621 00:53:26,000 --> 00:53:27,000 I don't know that. 622 00:53:27,000 --> 00:53:28,000 Okay. 623 00:53:28,000 --> 00:53:33,000 We looked at a comparison for a different program about a year and a half ago. 624 00:53:33,000 --> 00:53:35,000 Just give you just a very high level overview. 625 00:53:35,000 --> 00:53:41,000 We looked at salaries for county attorneys, assistant district attorneys, and there's a pretty big range. 626 00:53:41,000 --> 00:53:49,000 But, you know, one thing that fair mind is that those salaries come with things in most cases of county tension, good benefits, package, health care. 627 00:53:49,000 --> 00:54:00,000 It ranged from 50,000 or so for assistant county attorney, handling miscommuners, which is kind of on far with this kind of budget. 628 00:54:00,000 --> 00:54:05,000 People handling salaries and district attorneys offices in the 70's was pretty typical. 629 00:54:05,000 --> 00:54:09,000 You go to the bank and say, you're going to go back to quite a bit. 630 00:54:09,000 --> 00:54:13,000 The salary structure definitely changes in the urban counties. 631 00:54:13,000 --> 00:54:23,000 But, you know, 50's and 70's for miscommuner and attorney attorney is kind of a ballpark of what we saw with a lot of dignity, a lot of variation, kind of. 632 00:54:23,000 --> 00:54:24,000 Okay. 633 00:54:24,000 --> 00:54:25,000 Okay. 634 00:54:25,000 --> 00:54:31,000 I'm kind of shoot from the hip, but in the long forgiveness kind of standard and a lot of larger firms. 635 00:54:31,000 --> 00:54:34,000 I'm just, I never was in a ward. 636 00:54:34,000 --> 00:54:37,000 I don't know if any invigorating would offer that. 637 00:54:37,000 --> 00:54:40,000 Brian, do you don't hear that? 638 00:54:40,000 --> 00:54:43,000 And, oh. 639 00:54:43,000 --> 00:54:45,000 I don't. 640 00:54:45,000 --> 00:54:59,000 My daughter's with, go right, my daughter lost the bank of the government. 641 00:54:59,000 --> 00:55:03,000 Maybe they got their lungs forgiven but you're still sending a check. 642 00:55:03,000 --> 00:55:07,000 They're making plenty of money. 643 00:55:07,000 --> 00:55:10,000 I think it's built into the salary package. 644 00:55:10,000 --> 00:55:14,000 Well, I, if you think is a point out, I did. 645 00:55:14,000 --> 00:55:22,000 The concerns, the issues brought up are very legitimate in their things that we need to have a grasp. 646 00:55:22,000 --> 00:55:25,000 A grasp on as far as the impact. 647 00:55:25,000 --> 00:55:32,000 I guess big picture from my point of view, if we were reasonably confident that in this case, 648 00:55:32,000 --> 00:55:40,000 that in this arrangement, we could save 250 or so thousand a year. 649 00:55:40,000 --> 00:55:44,000 I think it would be something that we would need to seriously consider. 650 00:55:44,000 --> 00:55:50,000 There are some non-financial negatives, some non-financial perks, 651 00:55:50,000 --> 00:55:59,000 but it would need to make sense from a financial point of view with a margin of error built into there to make it doable. 652 00:55:59,000 --> 00:56:09,000 I think the bigger items pushing that's called savings one direction or the other is our high code defendant, 653 00:56:09,000 --> 00:56:20,000 which will still cause us to need to maintain a private, private attorney wheel where we'll pay probably 200,000 a year or so. 654 00:56:20,000 --> 00:56:26,000 Grant it that wheel may be harder to man, given folks getting out of the business, moving on whatever. 655 00:56:26,000 --> 00:56:28,000 That's one item. 656 00:56:28,000 --> 00:56:32,000 The second item, I think, may already be accounted for in these numbers. 657 00:56:32,000 --> 00:56:42,000 And that was early on my questions as to how we can make this offer better, given the fact that we have a pre-trial service office, 658 00:56:42,000 --> 00:56:45,000 doing a lot of these things that y'all would ordinarily do. 659 00:56:45,000 --> 00:56:48,000 It looks like that's already been built into the equation. 660 00:56:49,000 --> 00:56:59,000 Other factors that will brought up the DA's comment about our costs are going to be trending lower. 661 00:56:59,000 --> 00:57:07,000 No doubt we'll see that, but you based your estimates on a three year average. 662 00:57:07,000 --> 00:57:22,000 So even if we had a 40% reduction in the first year, the impact on our total expense considering a three year average, I don't know if it would kill the deal. 663 00:57:22,000 --> 00:57:33,000 We would still realize presumably some of those call savings in y'all's estimate as far as the staffing that you need in future years. 664 00:57:33,000 --> 00:57:45,000 One thing too, we haven't brought up in the proposal you've given us, and in the price tag you've given us, it has a rental office space of nearly $50,000. 665 00:57:45,000 --> 00:57:58,000 We're about to close a deal on some real estate, which would give the county ample office space to house these folks both from Victoria as well as surrounding areas, 666 00:57:58,000 --> 00:58:07,000 whether that could be set up as an in-kind allowance in the fee amount or you know, could give us a rental payment. 667 00:58:07,000 --> 00:58:14,000 I mean that's an area there where I think could be built into the deal to make it work. 668 00:58:14,000 --> 00:58:26,000 Another consideration I know I've talked to some other counties, neighboring counties of ours, who are kind of looking to us to see what we do before they decide what they do. 669 00:58:26,000 --> 00:58:38,000 It would seem that an economy scale, if there were others that joined, perhaps that could be built into this also further increasing our call savings. 670 00:58:38,000 --> 00:58:52,000 So those are a few dynamics that are not certain, but we I think need to explore them to come to a number of call savings number that were pretty confident we could realize. 671 00:58:52,000 --> 00:59:08,000 Then from the vantage point of the court. Well, I guess from y'all's perspective we still haven't figured it out yet, but if we could get a $250, $300,000 annual call savings through this arrangement. 672 00:59:08,000 --> 00:59:11,000 What would be your thoughts on that? 673 00:59:11,000 --> 00:59:25,000 I want to talk to the other judges. I mean, we don't have very much information to this now, which I question, and you know, I want to talk to the judges and the other attorneys. 674 00:59:25,000 --> 00:59:37,000 Although I really respect what our VA said, I put a lot of weight in her, you know, her opinion, and it's nice to be able to do that, by the way. 675 00:59:37,000 --> 00:59:43,000 But I'd like to talk to some people. I know we need to do it in the hurry. 676 00:59:43,000 --> 00:59:51,000 I wouldn't say we're in an extreme hurry. We would we need to turn in basically an intent application by the 10th. 677 00:59:51,000 --> 00:59:55,000 But that wouldn't obligate. Actually, I think it's a full application. 678 00:59:55,000 --> 00:59:59,000 And I guess my point earlier was if the budget is. 679 01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:10,000 The budget and scope questions are still outstanding. You can note that in the application, and we won't finalize it or present it to our board until you're ready to submit. 680 01:00:10,000 --> 01:00:19,000 So, as long as there's something, I guess the May 10 deadline is to have some kind of request in the offer with provisional members, if you will, working members. 681 01:00:19,000 --> 01:00:28,000 And that will give us the opportunity to review all of the opportunity to refine the request about the district, et cetera. 682 01:00:28,000 --> 01:00:36,000 And Commissioner, you're certainly be good to talk to the judges. I know they've been eager to talk about this. 683 01:00:36,000 --> 01:00:45,000 The district judges seem to be supportive, the county court of law judges, probably not, but that would be smart. 684 01:00:45,000 --> 01:00:52,000 And as I've mentioned, we aren't in don't need to make a decision on this today. 685 01:00:52,000 --> 01:01:04,000 The bigger picture question, I think, well, that I'm trying to answer is what can we anticipate as far as it calls savings, that we're pretty sure we could actually get. 686 01:01:04,000 --> 01:01:07,000 Make sure our assumptions in all this are correct. 687 01:01:07,000 --> 01:01:23,000 Hopefully, if I walk you through the changes that I made in that sense, the previous numbers, which I think were around $315,000 in savings at 50% state funding. 688 01:01:23,000 --> 01:01:36,000 I was attempting to get more precise numbers on the conflicts ratios from the pre trial services and the district attorney's office was not successful. 689 01:01:36,000 --> 01:01:49,000 But so what I did for the purposes of this study was to double the experience ratio on conflicts that we had in star county. 690 01:01:49,000 --> 01:02:02,000 So to do that in simply as possible on this thing, I reduced the percentage of cases that are allocated to the public defender program by 10%. 691 01:02:02,000 --> 01:02:06,000 As a substitute for a conflict ratio. 692 01:02:06,000 --> 01:02:08,000 Is that a sufficient reduction? 693 01:02:08,000 --> 01:02:16,000 Well, nor we had about a what, a 25%, 25% to 30%. 694 01:02:16,000 --> 01:02:18,000 Okay. 695 01:02:18,000 --> 01:02:19,000 Yeah. 696 01:02:19,000 --> 01:02:29,000 Those numbers give me a lot of discomfort because that's not anything like what we experienced elsewhere. 697 01:02:29,000 --> 01:02:32,000 And I don't know what between Victor. 698 01:02:32,000 --> 01:02:37,000 There's a fair amount of criminal activity in star county. 699 01:02:37,000 --> 01:02:38,000 I've heard. 700 01:02:38,000 --> 01:02:40,000 It's so you've heard, yes. 701 01:02:40,000 --> 01:02:42,000 And they're. 702 01:02:42,000 --> 01:02:45,000 Real grand city on the border. 703 01:02:45,000 --> 01:02:48,000 Just upriver from Mac Allen. 704 01:02:48,000 --> 01:02:53,000 So, you know, that's the history that I'm looking at. 705 01:02:53,000 --> 01:02:56,000 It's kind of a benchmark here. 706 01:02:56,000 --> 01:03:08,000 Our actual conflict ratio based on the numbers that we have actually interviewed people at identify a conflict was 0.6% less than 1%. 707 01:03:08,000 --> 01:03:20,000 Now, that excludes people who were conflicted out because without us doing an interview. 708 01:03:20,000 --> 01:03:26,000 So, we've done estimates that not based on data, but estimates. 709 01:03:26,000 --> 01:03:32,000 And I don't know whether that's what, what, what, nor is the numbers based on or how we're getting to those numbers. 710 01:03:32,000 --> 01:03:45,000 But 10 to 12% is what I'm told is the actual conflict, if you will, but an estimated revenue derived number based on actual interviews. 711 01:03:45,000 --> 01:03:55,000 So, you know, to jump from 0.6% to 30% seems to me to be unrealistic. 712 01:03:55,000 --> 01:03:58,000 0.6% 0.6%. 713 01:03:58,000 --> 01:03:59,000 Oh, that's 10%. 714 01:03:59,000 --> 01:04:00,000 That's 10%. 715 01:04:00,000 --> 01:04:01,000 What did I miss? 716 01:04:01,000 --> 01:04:13,000 The difference between people that we have actually interviewed and identified a conflict is, I think there were like 17 last year, that we actually interviewed. 717 01:04:13,000 --> 01:04:18,000 And we went through a conflict's check and we said we've got a conflict here. 718 01:04:18,000 --> 01:04:29,000 As opposed to people who we never interviewed, they went to a bondsman, for example. 719 01:04:29,000 --> 01:04:34,000 And a bondsman said, well, this is a group case. 720 01:04:34,000 --> 01:04:39,000 TRLA's only going to take one of them, don't bother to go over there. 721 01:04:39,000 --> 01:04:49,000 So, there are a fair number of people we think who were never interviewed by TRLA and therefore never got into our system. 722 01:04:49,000 --> 01:04:55,000 So, the ones that got into our system is meniskeed and we've identified as a conflict. 723 01:04:55,000 --> 01:05:00,000 Those that were never interviewed is substantially larger number. 724 01:05:00,000 --> 01:05:05,000 We're estimating about 10 times the number that we actually saw. 725 01:05:05,000 --> 01:05:09,000 So, that's the reason for the disparity in the numbers. 726 01:05:09,000 --> 01:05:18,000 I'm much more comfortable if we've interviewed somebody and identified a conflict because we have systems in place for doing those conflicts checks. 727 01:05:18,000 --> 01:05:31,000 It's not only people who have a group case co-dependence, but it's also people that we've represented on a previous case. 728 01:05:31,000 --> 01:05:41,000 So, is that determination of black and white determination to clear-cut or or y'all to have discretion as far as it's a conflict? 729 01:05:41,000 --> 01:05:44,000 No, it's not a conflict. How does that work? 730 01:05:44,000 --> 01:05:50,000 Well, all lawyers have an obligation to identify conflicts and avoid them. 731 01:05:50,000 --> 01:05:58,000 And so, the way it works in our shop, everything is on the computer. 732 01:05:58,000 --> 01:06:05,000 So, if first thing we do is find out the person's name, social security number. 733 01:06:05,000 --> 01:06:14,000 We run it through the computer to see if we have represented an opposing party in any previous case. 734 01:06:14,000 --> 01:06:18,000 And if we have, it comes up as a conflict. 735 01:06:18,000 --> 01:06:31,000 And then we either have to resolve that conflict or we withdraw from further discussions with the point and turn it over to the defender context, turn it over to the wheel. 736 01:06:31,000 --> 01:06:37,000 So, but we've made a record of that in that sort of situation. 737 01:06:37,000 --> 01:06:46,000 But if somebody has been diverted from that system informally, we wouldn't have a record of it. 738 01:06:46,000 --> 01:06:50,000 And there are a lot more of those in the R1s that we have a record of. 739 01:06:50,000 --> 01:06:54,000 But I doubt that it's 30 times more or 35 times more. 740 01:06:54,000 --> 01:06:59,000 I think it's probably more like 10, 12, 15 times more. 741 01:06:59,000 --> 01:07:02,000 Does that include like the family not law or North? 742 01:07:02,000 --> 01:07:03,000 Because y'all can't. 743 01:07:03,000 --> 01:07:05,000 That's correct. 744 01:07:05,000 --> 01:07:06,000 So, yeah. 745 01:07:06,000 --> 01:07:07,000 I can't. 746 01:07:07,000 --> 01:07:09,000 This doesn't include family law at all. 747 01:07:09,000 --> 01:07:11,000 So, this doesn't include any civil cases. 748 01:07:11,000 --> 01:07:17,000 It's going to only be criminal misdemeanor felony. 749 01:07:17,000 --> 01:07:20,000 So, you're still going to have all your expenses on the civil side. 750 01:07:20,000 --> 01:07:23,000 Along with these expenses until you are alive. 751 01:07:23,000 --> 01:07:28,000 Of course, those expenses on the civil side aren't reflected in here. 752 01:07:28,000 --> 01:07:29,000 Correct. 753 01:07:29,000 --> 01:07:33,000 So, we're going to have those regardless. 754 01:07:33,000 --> 01:07:38,000 You're going to have another about 300,000 on top of that. 755 01:07:38,000 --> 01:07:40,000 Now, we'll see yet. 756 01:07:40,000 --> 01:07:42,000 Forgive me that. 757 01:07:42,000 --> 01:07:45,000 So, I haven't been able to look at and choose paper, right? 758 01:07:45,000 --> 01:07:46,000 Okay. 759 01:07:46,000 --> 01:07:48,000 So, how about the juveniles? 760 01:07:48,000 --> 01:07:50,000 Where we all also covered juveniles? 761 01:07:50,000 --> 01:07:51,000 Yes, we're covered. 762 01:07:51,000 --> 01:07:53,000 And it's proposal. 763 01:07:53,000 --> 01:07:55,000 I just wanted to ask one of our patients. 764 01:07:55,000 --> 01:07:58,000 So, whatever the actual rate of the conflict cases is. 765 01:07:58,000 --> 01:07:59,000 And it's been confusing. 766 01:07:59,000 --> 01:08:05,000 I think Morris got some good data from your systems that it's next percentage. 767 01:08:05,000 --> 01:08:10,000 And I think, you know, it's really a data challenge. 768 01:08:10,000 --> 01:08:15,000 And we just need to sit down and come all the data and come up with a number that makes sense. 769 01:08:15,000 --> 01:08:17,000 There's a couple of, I think, correct me from Monday. 770 01:08:17,000 --> 01:08:20,000 But when we worked with other counties for the contract material, 771 01:08:20,000 --> 01:08:24,000 a contract has a kind of, you know, based on our projections. 772 01:08:24,000 --> 01:08:27,000 We will handle this many, up to this many cases. 773 01:08:27,000 --> 01:08:30,000 That's kind of guaranteed in your contract. 774 01:08:30,000 --> 01:08:35,000 And if it turns out that that number is below. 775 01:08:35,000 --> 01:08:40,000 You know, it is based on an overly conservative assumption about contracts. 776 01:08:40,000 --> 01:08:43,000 Well, then, you know, everybody's encountering cases. 777 01:08:43,000 --> 01:08:44,000 They come in. 778 01:08:44,000 --> 01:08:46,000 That can be addressed at that time. 779 01:08:46,000 --> 01:08:51,000 But I think so, you know, whatever the contracts that you all would enter into, 780 01:08:51,000 --> 01:08:57,000 potentially, enter into what have the numbers, they agree upon numbers. 781 01:08:58,000 --> 01:09:01,000 And you wouldn't be obliged to represent people beyond that. 782 01:09:01,000 --> 01:09:04,000 And you wouldn't be obliged to pay them for it. 783 01:09:04,000 --> 01:09:11,000 So if the actual caseload that you undertook was less than that amount, 784 01:09:11,000 --> 01:09:13,000 where would that lead us? 785 01:09:13,000 --> 01:09:19,000 Well, I think that would be, I'm assuming that would be adjusted in the next year's contract. 786 01:09:19,000 --> 01:09:22,000 It's more likely that they would be, I think, 787 01:09:22,000 --> 01:09:27,000 you would set the rate for your comfortable based on perhaps more conservative assumption. 788 01:09:27,000 --> 01:09:30,000 And then, it's more cases are flowing in. 789 01:09:30,000 --> 01:09:35,000 They would bring that to your attention and talk about the need to adjust the contract. 790 01:09:35,000 --> 01:09:36,000 Yeah. 791 01:09:36,000 --> 01:09:44,000 For example, in star county, again, those three counties, star gem log and dovol, 792 01:09:44,000 --> 01:09:49,000 which is kind of again comparable to what we're talking about here. 793 01:09:49,000 --> 01:09:58,000 We have taken on, in the last year, about 17% more cases than what we originally contracted for. 794 01:09:58,000 --> 01:10:00,000 And we haven't been paid for those cases. 795 01:10:00,000 --> 01:10:04,000 We took them on anyway because of sense of obligation. 796 01:10:04,000 --> 01:10:12,000 But we're going to be sitting down with those county judges and revising those numbers fairly soon, 797 01:10:12,000 --> 01:10:14,000 because we can't continue doing that. 798 01:10:14,000 --> 01:10:21,000 And the state's 50% call share is only on the pre-determined contract amount. 799 01:10:21,000 --> 01:10:25,000 So if we come in 17% over, there's no call share on that. 800 01:10:25,000 --> 01:10:26,000 Correct. 801 01:10:26,000 --> 01:10:28,000 TRLA takes that yet. 802 01:10:28,000 --> 01:10:30,000 Well, in turn, we would take that yet. 803 01:10:30,000 --> 01:10:32,000 No, TRLA would take that yet. 804 01:10:32,000 --> 01:10:33,000 Okay. 805 01:10:33,000 --> 01:10:35,000 It would be sounded for your next year. 806 01:10:35,000 --> 01:10:39,000 You're signing a contract for a fixed amount. 807 01:10:39,000 --> 01:10:40,000 Okay, I'm with you. 808 01:10:41,000 --> 01:10:48,000 So if we go over it in a year, then more cases than what we contracted for, that's TRLA's problem. 809 01:10:48,000 --> 01:10:49,000 I see, okay. 810 01:10:49,000 --> 01:10:54,000 And if it's less, then we're going to have to adjust it either way, whether it's more or less. 811 01:10:54,000 --> 01:10:57,000 So it's a continuing contractual relationship. 812 01:10:57,000 --> 01:11:07,000 And if we had a serious aberration, if, for example, the new district attorney decided that she's only going to end 813 01:11:07,000 --> 01:11:16,000 by 20% as many people as the prior administration, then we're not going to wait for a year for that to get worked out. 814 01:11:16,000 --> 01:11:21,000 We're going to get back together again because we want to keep you guys happy. 815 01:11:21,000 --> 01:11:29,000 So we're going to renegotiate the contract whenever you feel in the need to renegotiate the contract. 816 01:11:29,000 --> 01:11:34,000 Either side can terminate this contract on 90 days notice. 817 01:11:34,000 --> 01:11:41,000 So it's a continuing kind of relationship, where we work with you on that. 818 01:11:41,000 --> 01:11:45,000 How many counties in Texas, your current contract with 10? 819 01:11:45,000 --> 01:11:46,000 10. 820 01:11:46,000 --> 01:11:52,000 Are there any exclusions within criminal cases like capital deal cover? 821 01:11:52,000 --> 01:11:56,000 You'll cover capital cases or some of the bigger stuff that gets really expensive? 822 01:11:56,000 --> 01:12:02,000 We handle capital cases if the death penalty is not sold. 823 01:12:03,000 --> 01:12:10,000 And we've taken on one or two capital cases where death penalty was requested. 824 01:12:10,000 --> 01:12:17,000 Those are incredibly expensive and take up an awful lot of time. 825 01:12:17,000 --> 01:12:28,000 So in our contracts, we put an exclusion for those cases unless we agree otherwise with the county. 826 01:12:28,000 --> 01:12:32,000 And TITC does provide funding and not sure if the current county is in the program. 827 01:12:32,000 --> 01:12:41,000 But there is a regional public defender office for capital cases where the death penalty is not programs based and love it for counties across the state. 828 01:12:41,000 --> 01:12:44,000 Yeah, I think we opted not to do that. We're not in that program. 829 01:12:44,000 --> 01:12:55,000 That would be the suggestion for protecting yourself against those very large possible death penalty cases that we offer through our programs. 830 01:12:55,000 --> 01:13:01,000 This would be, I would not think that you should count on death penalty cases. 831 01:13:01,000 --> 01:13:06,000 I mean, I'm kind of ignorant on this port. 832 01:13:06,000 --> 01:13:09,000 Now boys had a question, how do you determine the true engine? 833 01:13:09,000 --> 01:13:12,000 The y'all need that or will the judges do that? 834 01:13:12,000 --> 01:13:17,000 Well, in this case, you have a free trial services doing that. 835 01:13:17,000 --> 01:13:22,000 And we can either continue with that sort of an arrangement. 836 01:13:22,000 --> 01:13:31,000 That's not a much of a time killer. It takes us about six minutes average to make that determination. 837 01:13:31,000 --> 01:13:38,000 We do about 30,000 of those a year at TRLI program wide. 838 01:13:38,000 --> 01:13:41,000 So it's quick. 839 01:13:41,000 --> 01:13:58,000 I mean, I made an adjustment in these budget numbers for about 0.08 FTE of an investigator to cover the time spent on doing that. 840 01:13:58,000 --> 01:14:00,000 So it's not much time. 841 01:14:00,000 --> 01:14:09,000 But we can certainly work with Norse Shop and how we want to divvy up those kinds of responsibilities. 842 01:14:09,000 --> 01:14:13,000 In most of our counties, there is no pre-trial services office. 843 01:14:13,000 --> 01:14:15,000 The judges are the ones that have to do that. 844 01:14:15,000 --> 01:14:19,000 And they're more than happy to dump that on us. 845 01:14:19,000 --> 01:14:23,000 So I've noticed. So we do that typically. 846 01:14:23,000 --> 01:14:30,000 Mr. Merchist, just saying down in the county office, the county judge is ultimately having a responsibility to determine who qualified for these services. 847 01:14:30,000 --> 01:14:32,000 Who's engine, who's not? 848 01:14:32,000 --> 01:14:38,000 With your county, and it's really the credit of your county that you have with pre-trial services in Norse program in place. 849 01:14:38,000 --> 01:14:40,000 They do a good job. 850 01:14:40,000 --> 01:14:52,000 And the, you know, some of the judges will delegate with authority to look at get the financial information from the defendants and figure out if they're poor enough to deserve an appointed attorney. 851 01:14:52,000 --> 01:15:00,000 But ultimately, the butt stops with the judges and the judges will often delegate that responsibility either to pre-trial services for in some cases. 852 01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:08,000 Do these numbers reflect keeping our free trial services? 853 01:15:08,000 --> 01:15:17,000 What those numbers do is it takes out that six minutes per case of an investigator's time. 854 01:15:17,000 --> 01:15:21,000 And so it reduced the investigator time slightly. 855 01:15:21,000 --> 01:15:22,000 So, yes. 856 01:15:22,000 --> 01:15:25,000 There's been no discussion about, 857 01:15:25,000 --> 01:15:35,000 Okay, well, the original proposal called for 17.53 FTE's, the revised numbers is 16.08. 858 01:15:35,000 --> 01:15:40,000 But that was both the dynamic of pre-trial and the higher code. 859 01:15:40,000 --> 01:15:41,000 That's correct. 860 01:15:41,000 --> 01:15:43,000 Okay. 861 01:15:43,000 --> 01:15:44,000 Okay. 862 01:15:44,000 --> 01:15:45,000 Okay. 863 01:15:45,000 --> 01:15:47,000 That's one more quick thing. 864 01:15:47,000 --> 01:15:51,000 I mean, I know you all, I appreciate the time that you've given this consideration. 865 01:15:51,000 --> 01:15:54,000 David is talking a lot about the program in Star County. 866 01:15:54,000 --> 01:15:56,000 That's a regional program in the Star. 867 01:15:56,000 --> 01:15:59,000 A few of all in Jim Bond County down the Rio Grande Valley. 868 01:15:59,000 --> 01:16:02,000 But because I think it's comfortable in scope. 869 01:16:02,000 --> 01:16:07,000 The other program that's been in place for a number of years is based in B County. 870 01:16:07,000 --> 01:16:12,000 I mean, being live open with Mullin, that at Golyan, or Furio, and LaVaca. 871 01:16:12,000 --> 01:16:16,000 I'm looking at a couple other counties that might join that regional program. 872 01:16:16,000 --> 01:16:21,000 Mr. Burns had mentioned wanting to hear from the judges about this criminal court judge. 873 01:16:21,000 --> 01:16:25,000 And I think that's essential to have those conversations. 874 01:16:25,000 --> 01:16:31,000 I'd also recommend if you have the opportunity to talk to some of the other either constitutional county judges or in some cases, 875 01:16:31,000 --> 01:16:34,000 like the missions that are more involved in those counties. 876 01:16:34,000 --> 01:16:43,000 Again, with LaVaca, Golyan, Fur Furio, that have recently joined generally from what we've been hearing in Austin. 877 01:16:43,000 --> 01:16:45,000 The program is very happy with the program. 878 01:16:45,000 --> 01:16:53,000 So, in addition to talking to your own criminal judges, hearing from some of the other folks that said in your seats in neighboring counties is probably helpful. 879 01:16:53,000 --> 01:16:56,000 In terms of how the program is working for me. 880 01:16:56,000 --> 01:16:59,000 I just wanted to recommend that to some of these people. 881 01:16:59,000 --> 01:17:01,000 There you go. 882 01:17:01,000 --> 01:17:02,000 Thank you Edwin. 883 01:17:03,000 --> 01:17:05,000 One other questions might jump out here. 884 01:17:05,000 --> 01:17:09,000 I know, and obviously we're not going to vote or decide on anything today. 885 01:17:09,000 --> 01:17:11,000 This is just informational. 886 01:17:11,000 --> 01:17:24,000 Any questions up here are things we need to search further to get the answer to beyond what's been previously mentioned. 887 01:17:24,000 --> 01:17:27,000 Judge, if I may, I guess suggestion. 888 01:17:27,000 --> 01:17:37,000 One of the things that we've heard from other counties is that having a defender program has a positive impact on your jail budget. 889 01:17:37,000 --> 01:17:44,000 That it reduces the time people have to sit in jail at $55, $60 a day. 890 01:17:45,000 --> 01:18:00,000 The star county again, as the auditor's office, did such an informal survey last year and came up with a number of about a half a million dollars that the public defender program they thought were saved. 891 01:18:00,000 --> 01:18:04,000 I don't know how good that study is. 892 01:18:04,000 --> 01:18:07,000 And I haven't looked at the underlying data. 893 01:18:07,000 --> 01:18:17,000 But one of the things you got to do is look at a baseline for before you start the defender program. 894 01:18:17,000 --> 01:18:33,000 And what would probably be very helpful both to you and us is if we ran that kind of a baseline study here in Victoria and maybe one or two of the other counties around here that are thinking about joining Jackson Galloon. 895 01:18:33,000 --> 01:18:51,000 Running that kind of a study to see whether there are material savings and try to isolate the public defender program as being the factor that causes those savings. 896 01:18:51,000 --> 01:18:56,000 Is that something y'all would be interested in participating in? 897 01:18:56,000 --> 01:19:01,000 Seeing the data from these other counties, I would, yes, indeed. 898 01:19:01,000 --> 01:19:07,000 Well, we already do calculate that based on a pretty child program with us on these services. 899 01:19:07,000 --> 01:19:09,000 In other counties also? 900 01:19:09,000 --> 01:19:11,000 Not in the other counties for Victoria. 901 01:19:11,000 --> 01:19:14,000 Okay, so that's part of the report that you received. 902 01:19:14,000 --> 01:19:16,000 Yeah, okay, I guess we get that. 903 01:19:16,000 --> 01:19:22,000 I would be curious to see other counties how it has affected jail population. 904 01:19:23,000 --> 01:19:31,000 I'd, in the whole exercise we're doing here trying to gather this data that I think would be of use to see sure. 905 01:19:31,000 --> 01:19:35,000 Okay. 906 01:19:35,000 --> 01:19:40,000 Any further questions up here? 907 01:19:40,000 --> 01:19:41,000 Okay. 908 01:19:41,000 --> 01:19:46,000 Well, I certainly appreciate you all's time this morning. 909 01:19:46,000 --> 01:20:00,000 In the information you've given us again, my, I guess, biggest effort is to see how confident we can be with some of these projections with some of these estimates. 910 01:20:00,000 --> 01:20:12,000 There are many variables we've got to consider that I guess typically aren't in the counties y'all are in. 911 01:20:12,000 --> 01:20:19,000 But if it could yield the savings that appear possible, that would be something to court. 912 01:20:19,000 --> 01:20:25,000 I think we'd need to seriously consider. 913 01:20:25,000 --> 01:20:27,000 So what steps do you want to take on this? 914 01:20:27,000 --> 01:20:33,000 Talk to the judges, talk to others, and have it back on the agenda for further discussion. 915 01:20:33,000 --> 01:20:36,000 If you want to go that route? 916 01:20:36,000 --> 01:20:38,000 Yes, I have one other question. 917 01:20:38,000 --> 01:20:41,000 I'll see you here on trial. 918 01:20:41,000 --> 01:20:42,000 Okay. 919 01:20:42,000 --> 01:20:46,000 Who regulates that trial and expenses on that trial? 920 01:20:46,000 --> 01:20:56,000 Because I mean, you know, if it's trial somewhere else are here and so I just, how would that work? 921 01:20:56,000 --> 01:20:59,000 Well, we have internal procedures. 922 01:20:59,000 --> 01:21:07,000 And the first person that would be responsible for reviewing it would be the chief defender in office here in Victoria. 923 01:21:07,000 --> 01:21:15,000 Would know who the cases are set in which counties responsible for the trial. 924 01:21:15,000 --> 01:21:23,000 And would verify that it's a legitimate expense and it's reasonable and necessary. 925 01:21:23,000 --> 01:21:34,000 Then it would go to our accounting office and would be reviewed there and usually by the director of administration and central office. 926 01:21:34,000 --> 01:21:37,000 Because it depends on where the attorney came from. 927 01:21:37,000 --> 01:21:43,000 Would we pay the travel for the attorney to come down to Victoria to hear a case of the attorney was a local? 928 01:21:43,000 --> 01:21:44,000 No. 929 01:21:44,000 --> 01:21:49,000 I think the most of the travel that would be, it's necessary to be incurred in this type of a program. 930 01:21:49,000 --> 01:21:56,000 So there's a staff investigator in this, that's going to be going out and crying scenes and gathering evidence. 931 01:21:56,000 --> 01:21:59,000 That person, not there's probably going to file some mileage for there. 932 01:21:59,000 --> 01:22:03,000 Use the personal vehicle because here LA does not offer any speech at vehicles. 933 01:22:03,000 --> 01:22:10,000 So it's more of the kind of local mileage expenses for things like an investigator following up on facts, 934 01:22:10,000 --> 01:22:15,000 maybe going to get records or interviewing witness, things like that. 935 01:22:15,000 --> 01:22:22,000 I know that also one of the things that here LA has been good about is providing training for their staff. 936 01:22:22,000 --> 01:22:26,000 So I think that maybe part of that maybe has in the training budget. 937 01:22:27,000 --> 01:22:30,000 Just kind of built into the general operation. 938 01:22:30,000 --> 01:22:32,000 But there might be some travel. 939 01:22:32,000 --> 01:22:38,000 But it's all going as opposed to the county getting a claim for travel. 940 01:22:38,000 --> 01:22:42,000 Over time it provides for their administrative procedures under the contract. 941 01:22:42,000 --> 01:22:48,000 But I think it's more local travel and mileage to be considered as opposed to bringing people in. 942 01:22:48,000 --> 01:22:50,000 So the authority of the outside of Victoria. 943 01:22:50,000 --> 01:22:52,000 I don't think that's what's going to happen. 944 01:22:52,000 --> 01:22:54,000 You have to use the word subjective word. 945 01:22:54,000 --> 01:22:56,000 I think it is. 946 01:22:56,000 --> 01:22:58,000 Is it. 947 01:22:58,000 --> 01:23:00,000 Is it. 948 01:23:00,000 --> 01:23:01,000 That traveling. 949 01:23:01,000 --> 01:23:05,000 If it's just traveling to Victoria and not bringing their attorney from the outside and drive in. 950 01:23:05,000 --> 01:23:07,000 Because you know if they don't live locally. 951 01:23:07,000 --> 01:23:09,000 Then they're driving and they're getting traveled on. 952 01:23:09,000 --> 01:23:11,000 And it's going to be still paying for the travel time. 953 01:23:11,000 --> 01:23:12,000 Right. 954 01:23:12,000 --> 01:23:13,000 Right. 955 01:23:13,000 --> 01:23:14,000 No. 956 01:23:14,000 --> 01:23:16,000 The way it would work. 957 01:23:16,000 --> 01:23:21,000 I mean what most of that travel involves is going for Victoria to add. 958 01:23:21,000 --> 01:23:23,000 In fact, all the lawyers. 959 01:23:23,000 --> 01:23:29,000 If we do a regional kind of configuration which would have been talking about doing with Jackson 960 01:23:29,000 --> 01:23:33,000 Calhoun and the Witt County's plus refurio and golyad. 961 01:23:33,000 --> 01:23:37,000 All the counties that are in the 24th judicial district. 962 01:23:37,000 --> 01:23:39,000 Victoria would be the hub. 963 01:23:39,000 --> 01:23:42,000 And all the lawyers would be here in Victoria. 964 01:23:42,000 --> 01:23:46,000 And they would drive out to wherever Judge Marries. 965 01:23:46,000 --> 01:23:47,000 Hold the court. 966 01:23:47,000 --> 01:23:48,000 Okay. 967 01:23:48,000 --> 01:23:49,000 That's what you referring. 968 01:23:49,000 --> 01:23:50,000 Okay. 969 01:23:50,000 --> 01:23:51,000 Okay. 970 01:23:51,000 --> 01:23:52,000 So. 971 01:23:52,000 --> 01:23:53,000 But ideally. 972 01:23:53,000 --> 01:23:57,000 I mean hopefully we'll do the budget the way we would normally do. 973 01:23:57,000 --> 01:24:01,000 We would have an investigator out and who lives in. 974 01:24:01,000 --> 01:24:07,000 And she would be traveling locally within Jackson County. 975 01:24:07,000 --> 01:24:09,000 Handling their cases locally. 976 01:24:09,000 --> 01:24:14,000 Interviewing witnesses interviewing clients and that kind of thing. 977 01:24:14,000 --> 01:24:18,000 And then periodically drive into Victoria for staff meetings and that sort of thing. 978 01:24:18,000 --> 01:24:22,000 That kind of travel would be Jackson County's budget. 979 01:24:22,000 --> 01:24:23,000 Not Victoria. 980 01:24:23,000 --> 01:24:24,000 Okay. 981 01:24:24,000 --> 01:24:25,000 Okay. 982 01:24:25,000 --> 01:24:26,000 So. 983 01:24:26,000 --> 01:24:27,000 One other question. 984 01:24:27,000 --> 01:24:28,000 And is. 985 01:24:28,000 --> 01:24:30,000 Let's say it all in the attorney. 986 01:24:30,000 --> 01:24:32,000 In practice of the third years. 987 01:24:32,000 --> 01:24:33,000 And I join you. 988 01:24:33,000 --> 01:24:35,000 Then I can I get my own cases. 989 01:24:35,000 --> 01:24:39,000 So there is a state law that says that if you work for a public defender. 990 01:24:39,000 --> 01:24:43,000 You're not supposed to take criminal cases on the side. 991 01:24:43,000 --> 01:24:46,000 But you can operate a civil practice as much as you'd like. 992 01:24:46,000 --> 01:24:51,000 That's so that you don't have the conflict of. 993 01:24:51,000 --> 01:24:52,000 You know, get. 994 01:24:52,000 --> 01:24:59,000 That would set up some incentives where you're your private paying criminal clients are kind of competing with. 995 01:24:59,000 --> 01:25:00,000 The public. 996 01:25:00,000 --> 01:25:01,000 I think the policy. 997 01:25:01,000 --> 01:25:02,000 Policy for. 998 01:25:02,000 --> 01:25:03,000 Policy for. 999 01:25:03,000 --> 01:25:08,000 TRLA is, you know, moonlight and you have full full time attorneys. 1000 01:25:08,000 --> 01:25:09,000 That's generally. 1001 01:25:09,000 --> 01:25:11,000 I mean we do have some part time. 1002 01:25:11,000 --> 01:25:12,000 Well, yours. 1003 01:25:12,000 --> 01:25:14,000 Or have a. 1004 01:25:15,000 --> 01:25:17,000 A side practice. 1005 01:25:17,000 --> 01:25:19,000 But that's. 1006 01:25:19,000 --> 01:25:23,000 Quite the exception probably five percent of the lawyers. 1007 01:25:23,000 --> 01:25:24,000 Okay. 1008 01:25:24,000 --> 01:25:25,000 Thank. 1009 01:25:25,000 --> 01:25:26,000 I'm not. 1010 01:25:26,000 --> 01:25:28,000 Advocate is not saying to $250,000. 1011 01:25:28,000 --> 01:25:30,000 But if we wait on this a year to see. 1012 01:25:30,000 --> 01:25:32,000 Has any numbers come out. 1013 01:25:32,000 --> 01:25:35,000 Is that any kind of black mark or. 1014 01:25:35,000 --> 01:25:37,000 Put it to the bottom of the list. 1015 01:25:37,000 --> 01:25:38,000 Whatever. 1016 01:25:38,000 --> 01:25:39,000 I would say it's black mark. 1017 01:25:39,000 --> 01:25:41,000 I mean, I guess my suggestion was to. 1018 01:25:41,000 --> 01:25:46,000 You say down with your district attorney and another stakeholders. 1019 01:25:46,000 --> 01:25:49,000 And just map out based on. 1020 01:25:49,000 --> 01:25:51,000 I mean, I guess you got a few months in. 1021 01:25:51,000 --> 01:25:53,000 Of the new. 1022 01:25:53,000 --> 01:25:55,000 Administration. 1023 01:25:55,000 --> 01:25:57,000 I mean, you can certainly do this. 1024 01:25:57,000 --> 01:26:01,000 I mean, I don't want to leave the impression that the window will close forever or. 1025 01:26:01,000 --> 01:26:02,000 That kind of what I was getting. 1026 01:26:02,000 --> 01:26:04,000 I'm just, you know, what the word. 1027 01:26:04,000 --> 01:26:05,000 Well, I guess. 1028 01:26:05,000 --> 01:26:06,000 Let me ask this. 1029 01:26:06,000 --> 01:26:08,000 If I know we can. 1030 01:26:08,000 --> 01:26:13,000 In our contracts at the max threshold of cases. 1031 01:26:13,000 --> 01:26:18,000 We could build into our assumption of whatever percent decline. 1032 01:26:18,000 --> 01:26:20,000 And lower that maximum. 1033 01:26:20,000 --> 01:26:24,000 And have that reflected in the contract amount. 1034 01:26:24,000 --> 01:26:27,000 I presume is that. 1035 01:26:27,000 --> 01:26:29,000 May it be doable. 1036 01:26:29,000 --> 01:26:31,000 So I can tell you that. 1037 01:26:31,000 --> 01:26:34,000 The counties that we've worked with in partnership with TRLA. 1038 01:26:34,000 --> 01:26:37,000 The new public defenders had basically said. 1039 01:26:37,000 --> 01:26:40,000 All non-conflict cases go with their program. 1040 01:26:40,000 --> 01:26:41,000 Just for simplicity. 1041 01:26:41,000 --> 01:26:42,000 They're conflict. 1042 01:26:42,000 --> 01:26:43,000 Basis and. 1043 01:26:43,000 --> 01:26:44,000 Family law cases. 1044 01:26:44,000 --> 01:26:46,000 Outside of the program. 1045 01:26:46,000 --> 01:26:49,000 Sometimes the taxes have public defenders. 1046 01:26:49,000 --> 01:26:51,000 A fleet costment is one example of. 1047 01:26:51,000 --> 01:26:52,000 And more taxes. 1048 01:26:52,000 --> 01:26:53,000 Where. 1049 01:26:53,000 --> 01:26:54,000 And that. 1050 01:26:54,000 --> 01:26:57,000 But the county operates a public defender. 1051 01:26:57,000 --> 01:26:59,000 The county staff attorneys and. 1052 01:26:59,000 --> 01:27:00,000 And the best. 1053 01:27:00,000 --> 01:27:02,000 Here's where they only take. 1054 01:27:02,000 --> 01:27:03,000 I believe 50. 1055 01:27:03,000 --> 01:27:05,000 Every other case. 1056 01:27:05,000 --> 01:27:07,000 Or two thirds of the cases. 1057 01:27:07,000 --> 01:27:08,000 So you can. 1058 01:27:08,000 --> 01:27:11,000 You can choose to set the scope of the program. 1059 01:27:11,000 --> 01:27:13,000 At any level that you decide. 1060 01:27:13,000 --> 01:27:14,000 I think. 1061 01:27:14,000 --> 01:27:17,000 From what we've heard from TRLA. 1062 01:27:17,000 --> 01:27:18,000 The communist. 1063 01:27:18,000 --> 01:27:20,000 Of course, the savings is going to be. 1064 01:27:20,000 --> 01:27:21,000 To. 1065 01:27:21,000 --> 01:27:24,000 The percentage of the cases they go in the program. 1066 01:27:24,000 --> 01:27:26,000 But the scope of. 1067 01:27:26,000 --> 01:27:28,000 Of a program like this is ultimately. 1068 01:27:28,000 --> 01:27:29,000 What you decide. 1069 01:27:29,000 --> 01:27:31,000 You want to do. 1070 01:27:31,000 --> 01:27:32,000 I think that. 1071 01:27:32,000 --> 01:27:33,000 The. 1072 01:27:33,000 --> 01:27:35,000 The level of savings is going to be. 1073 01:27:35,000 --> 01:27:36,000 In fact, by that. 1074 01:27:36,000 --> 01:27:38,000 And I think that. 1075 01:27:38,000 --> 01:27:39,000 You know, as I said, your. 1076 01:27:39,000 --> 01:27:40,000 Your program. 1077 01:27:40,000 --> 01:27:41,000 Typically. 1078 01:27:41,000 --> 01:27:42,000 As. 1079 01:27:42,000 --> 01:27:44,000 As operated on the assumption that they're. 1080 01:27:44,000 --> 01:27:46,000 Covering the line share in the cases. 1081 01:27:46,000 --> 01:27:47,000 Just. 1082 01:27:47,000 --> 01:27:48,000 But. 1083 01:27:48,000 --> 01:27:49,000 Cohesiveness. 1084 01:27:49,000 --> 01:27:50,000 Simplicity. 1085 01:27:50,000 --> 01:27:52,000 We're flexible. 1086 01:27:52,000 --> 01:27:53,000 Okay. 1087 01:27:53,000 --> 01:27:54,000 Very good. 1088 01:27:54,000 --> 01:27:57,000 I saw Judge Gill and walk in. 1089 01:27:57,000 --> 01:27:59,000 Any thoughts, Judge? 1090 01:27:59,000 --> 01:28:00,000 I know we've. 1091 01:28:00,000 --> 01:28:03,000 You've looked at the somewhat previously. 1092 01:28:03,000 --> 01:28:04,000 Um. 1093 01:28:04,000 --> 01:28:07,000 Well, and I don't know what all was said this morning. 1094 01:28:07,000 --> 01:28:11,000 I guess the only comment that I was. 1095 01:28:11,000 --> 01:28:14,000 But I was thinking about is that. 1096 01:28:14,000 --> 01:28:16,000 I know we have a new administration. 1097 01:28:16,000 --> 01:28:17,000 The A's office. 1098 01:28:17,000 --> 01:28:20,000 And I didn't know on the economics of it. 1099 01:28:20,000 --> 01:28:24,000 I shouldn't let that work out like another year or so. 1100 01:28:24,000 --> 01:28:26,000 At least and see where we're at. 1101 01:28:26,000 --> 01:28:28,000 Then because then. 1102 01:28:28,000 --> 01:28:29,000 Because it's. 1103 01:28:29,000 --> 01:28:30,000 It's. 1104 01:28:30,000 --> 01:28:31,000 It's. 1105 01:28:31,000 --> 01:28:32,000 It's. 1106 01:28:32,000 --> 01:28:33,000 It's. 1107 01:28:33,000 --> 01:28:34,000 It's. 1108 01:28:34,000 --> 01:28:35,000 It's. 1109 01:28:35,000 --> 01:28:36,000 It's. 1110 01:28:36,000 --> 01:28:37,000 It's. 1111 01:28:37,000 --> 01:28:38,000 It's. 1112 01:28:38,000 --> 01:28:39,000 It's. 1113 01:28:39,000 --> 01:28:40,000 It's. 1114 01:28:40,000 --> 01:28:41,000 It's. 1115 01:28:41,000 --> 01:28:42,000 It's. 1116 01:28:42,000 --> 01:28:43,000 It's. 1117 01:28:43,000 --> 01:28:44,000 It's. 1118 01:28:44,000 --> 01:28:45,000 It's. 1119 01:28:45,000 --> 01:28:46,000 It's. 1120 01:28:46,000 --> 01:28:47,000 It's. 1121 01:28:47,000 --> 01:28:48,000 It's. 1122 01:28:48,000 --> 01:28:49,000 It's. 1123 01:28:49,000 --> 01:28:50,000 It's. 1124 01:28:50,000 --> 01:28:53,000 It's. 1125 01:28:53,000 --> 01:28:58,000 It's. 1126 01:28:58,000 --> 01:28:59,000 Of. 1127 01:28:59,000 --> 01:29:04,000 That. 1128 01:29:04,000 --> 01:29:06,000 It's. 1129 01:29:06,000 --> 01:29:07,000 That. 1130 01:29:07,000 --> 01:29:12,000 That. 1131 01:29:12,000 --> 01:29:14,000 That. 1132 01:29:14,000 --> 01:29:22,880 the grants that are part of that, understand that, and, but I don't know where that's headed 1133 01:29:22,880 --> 01:29:28,680 that's gonna be there forever and off. I know there was a discing order on that. 1134 01:29:28,680 --> 01:29:32,920 What is it? How much is it for first here? 80%. 1135 01:29:32,920 --> 01:29:33,920 It was 40. 1136 01:29:33,920 --> 01:29:34,920 No, 80. 1137 01:29:34,920 --> 01:29:35,920 60. 1138 01:29:35,920 --> 01:29:36,920 50? 1139 01:29:36,920 --> 01:29:37,920 No. 1140 01:29:37,920 --> 01:29:38,920 80 60. 1141 01:29:38,920 --> 01:29:39,920 I mean assuming it. 1142 01:29:39,920 --> 01:29:40,920 60. 1143 01:29:40,920 --> 01:29:41,920 OK. 1144 01:29:41,920 --> 01:29:42,920 So 80, 60. 1145 01:29:42,920 --> 01:29:43,920 That was my only thoughts. 1146 01:29:43,920 --> 01:29:44,920 Is it, you let it out? 1147 01:29:44,920 --> 01:29:45,920 Let it, I mean, pan out. 1148 01:29:45,920 --> 01:29:46,920 Why? 1149 01:29:46,920 --> 01:29:47,920 At least it here. 1150 01:29:47,920 --> 01:29:49,920 I mean, you've been here in a half, something like that. 1151 01:29:49,920 --> 01:29:51,920 You see what will really happen. 1152 01:29:51,920 --> 01:29:53,920 And then, you make the oil. 1153 01:29:53,920 --> 01:29:56,920 They better decision that. 1154 01:29:56,920 --> 01:29:58,920 I think I'll put that to cover. 1155 01:29:58,920 --> 01:29:59,920 Number. 1156 01:30:00,000 --> 01:30:07,000 Thank you, Judge. All right, any other comments? 1157 01:30:07,000 --> 01:30:16,000 I have one more. One thing you might consider, if, you know, Judge, is Gilam is, I think, 1158 01:30:16,000 --> 01:30:23,000 got a valid point. You might think about reviewing rather than an annually, reviewing these 1159 01:30:23,000 --> 01:30:29,000 numbers quarterly. That's probably not too much of a administrative burden for everybody. 1160 01:30:29,000 --> 01:30:40,000 But if there are some traumatic changes, rather than four go $7,800,000 of savings in the next fiscal year, 1161 01:30:40,000 --> 01:30:46,000 go ahead and opt into the program, start those savings running. 1162 01:30:46,000 --> 01:30:54,000 And then, if you don't like the numbers you're seeing, we might adjust much as we go, but do it on a quarterly basis. 1163 01:30:54,000 --> 01:30:56,000 And see, what plays out? 1164 01:30:56,000 --> 01:31:01,000 It is the, and I can remind you, y'all heard, y'all are presently in about 10 pounds. 1165 01:31:01,000 --> 01:31:07,000 That's correct. The phone I have is, let's assume that they continue to cover more and more counties, 1166 01:31:07,000 --> 01:31:10,000 which I think is a free-actual. 1167 01:31:10,000 --> 01:31:15,000 And then, you know, I think we're going to get one for the covering, maybe 30 counties, 40 counties, 1168 01:31:15,000 --> 01:31:19,000 60 have to stay. 1169 01:31:19,000 --> 01:31:23,000 My question would be, and I doubt that the answer to it. 1170 01:31:23,000 --> 01:31:34,000 You know, will the state set be quite so willing to pay a 50% grant to have the counties in the state of Texas? 1171 01:31:34,000 --> 01:31:39,000 At a certain point, that number is going to get too large. 1172 01:31:39,000 --> 01:31:43,000 Somebody in Austin can't do it at home. 1173 01:31:43,000 --> 01:31:47,000 It almost seems as the organization moves that becomes more successful. 1174 01:31:47,000 --> 01:31:55,000 Ultimately, that number, that grant percentage, almost, asking them that number. 1175 01:31:55,000 --> 01:31:57,000 All right. 1176 01:31:57,000 --> 01:31:59,000 Thank you, sir. Are there thoughts? 1177 01:31:59,000 --> 01:32:00,000 Oh, there's that. 1178 01:32:00,000 --> 01:32:09,000 So, TADC does not have a very long list of counties that are interested in stepping up to do this kind of a program. 1179 01:32:09,000 --> 01:32:11,000 So, Senator Colkors is introduced to build. 1180 01:32:11,000 --> 01:32:13,000 It's currently funding the legislature. 1181 01:32:13,000 --> 01:32:17,000 In fact, I think that hearing is coming up, maybe this week, sometimes. 1182 01:32:17,000 --> 01:32:24,000 That is really, as a way for the state to provide assistance more targeted to work smaller counties, 1183 01:32:24,000 --> 01:32:27,000 for rural counties, or under $100,000. 1184 01:32:27,000 --> 01:32:35,000 As directed as to build, when directed as to a private work side of these kinds of programs in our funding. 1185 01:32:35,000 --> 01:32:39,000 I think that when our commission reviews grants request, 1186 01:32:39,000 --> 01:32:41,000 in counties that are interested in this kind of program, 1187 01:32:41,000 --> 01:32:44,000 there are key in the aware of the available resources, 1188 01:32:44,000 --> 01:32:48,000 and have never over-extended itself, so let's be a thing on that. 1189 01:32:48,000 --> 01:33:00,000 So, I don't think that there's any substantial risk of the commission being overwhelmed by requests for counties to implement programs. 1190 01:33:01,000 --> 01:33:08,000 In terms of the likelihood of the 50% sustainability fund being there for the county down the road, 1191 01:33:08,000 --> 01:33:11,000 legislature adopts a budget every two years. 1192 01:33:11,000 --> 01:33:13,000 They owned out the budget 10 years out. 1193 01:33:13,000 --> 01:33:19,000 But our budget at TADC, for next year, for the next biennium, 1194 01:33:19,000 --> 01:33:26,000 is they're adding $18 million in the baseline budget for our program, 1195 01:33:26,000 --> 01:33:31,000 which the commission is prioritizing for these types of programs. 1196 01:33:31,000 --> 01:33:36,000 So, I think that the third say a reasonable expectation of the sustainability fund, 1197 01:33:36,000 --> 01:33:41,000 which has been in place for five years now, has, you know, 1198 01:33:41,000 --> 01:33:42,000 will continue. 1199 01:33:42,000 --> 01:33:44,000 So, that's right. 1200 01:33:44,000 --> 01:33:48,000 I can't make any promises on behalf of the executive legislator, 1201 01:33:48,000 --> 01:33:51,000 but I can say that our budget is stable or grown, 1202 01:33:51,000 --> 01:33:53,000 and that we've not been able to go on board. 1203 01:33:53,000 --> 01:33:54,000 Gotcha. 1204 01:33:54,000 --> 01:33:55,000 Okay. 1205 01:33:55,000 --> 01:33:56,000 Thank you. All right. 1206 01:33:56,000 --> 01:33:59,000 Any other comments before we move on? 1207 01:33:59,000 --> 01:34:02,000 Anybody in the audience that would like to? 1208 01:34:02,000 --> 01:34:05,000 I know you all have been a ton of work in time, 1209 01:34:05,000 --> 01:34:09,000 and we're apologize, but we have to be perceived as caution, 1210 01:34:09,000 --> 01:34:14,000 because it's a lot better to, instead of just jump and end this up then, 1211 01:34:14,000 --> 01:34:17,000 and then say, and oh hell, we've got to back out. 1212 01:34:17,000 --> 01:34:19,000 That would leave a bad taste. 1213 01:34:19,000 --> 01:34:23,000 I would thank in the dollars mine for future funding. 1214 01:34:23,000 --> 01:34:27,000 But from our perspective, we want to work with the county firms, 1215 01:34:27,000 --> 01:34:29,000 so they make the right kind of decisions. 1216 01:34:29,000 --> 01:34:33,000 I don't get any commission on, on, they have a health insurance concern. 1217 01:34:33,000 --> 01:34:35,000 They've just been a good partner that the commission has, 1218 01:34:35,000 --> 01:34:37,000 that's usually good results with. 1219 01:34:37,000 --> 01:34:40,000 So, that's why we partner with online programs. 1220 01:34:40,000 --> 01:34:46,000 If the commission, if the commission's court is still looking at data, 1221 01:34:46,000 --> 01:34:48,000 we want to be a resource for you all. 1222 01:34:48,000 --> 01:34:50,000 We want to ensure that all we want to, 1223 01:34:50,000 --> 01:34:52,000 because they need to work with the numbers, 1224 01:34:52,000 --> 01:34:56,000 you know, for get it as accurate a projection as possible, 1225 01:34:56,000 --> 01:35:00,000 but whatever you need, we want to be available pretty well 1226 01:35:00,000 --> 01:35:04,000 as you look at your options, and let us know 1227 01:35:04,000 --> 01:35:06,000 how we can handle it. 1228 01:35:06,000 --> 01:35:08,000 Wonderful. Well, we will, and certainly appreciate 1229 01:35:08,000 --> 01:35:12,000 you all's time this morning driving in, and we would like to see 1230 01:35:12,000 --> 01:35:14,000 if we can hire a 53-year-old lawyer. 1231 01:35:14,000 --> 01:35:18,000 All right, very good. 1232 01:35:18,000 --> 01:35:20,000 Well, thank you all once again. 1233 01:35:20,000 --> 01:35:22,000 Appreciate you being here. 1234 01:35:22,000 --> 01:35:23,000 Thank you. 1235 01:35:23,000 --> 01:35:26,000 Ron, thanks for stopping, stopping by, also. 1236 01:35:26,000 --> 01:35:28,000 I won't give a time mark. 1237 01:35:28,000 --> 01:35:30,000 Oh, yeah. 1238 01:35:30,000 --> 01:35:32,000 The floor is still on your mark. 1239 01:35:32,000 --> 01:35:34,000 Oh, all right. 1240 01:35:34,000 --> 01:35:36,000 Your contact information? 1241 01:35:36,000 --> 01:35:37,000 Okay. 1242 01:35:37,000 --> 01:35:38,000 Thank you. 1243 01:35:38,000 --> 01:35:39,000 Thank you. 1244 01:35:39,000 --> 01:35:40,000 Appreciate it. 1245 01:35:44,000 --> 01:35:48,000 Thanks a lot, Constance. 1246 01:35:48,000 --> 01:35:52,000 Mr. White, thank you, sir, for your comments. 1247 01:35:52,000 --> 01:35:54,000 Judge, thanks. 1248 01:35:54,000 --> 01:35:56,000 All right. 1249 01:35:56,000 --> 01:36:00,000 Well, that on our agenda was simply to hear presentation 1250 01:36:00,000 --> 01:36:04,000 and discuss, which we've done, and we'll continue to do. 1251 01:36:04,000 --> 01:36:06,000 We don't need to take any action on that. 1252 01:36:06,000 --> 01:36:09,000 We will move on to item number 10. 1253 01:36:09,000 --> 01:36:13,000 We see fully executed notice of Grant Award from Rebuild Texas 1254 01:36:13,000 --> 01:36:17,000 for the purpose of purchasing and renovating property at 311 East Constitution 1255 01:36:17,000 --> 01:36:21,000 Street Victoria, Texas, and authorized county judge to sign 1256 01:36:21,000 --> 01:36:25,000 necessary documents and take appropriate action. 1257 01:36:25,000 --> 01:36:33,000 Robin, we finally got, well, I guess, is this a final step in the process? 1258 01:36:33,000 --> 01:36:35,000 Yes. 1259 01:36:35,000 --> 01:36:36,000 Okay. 1260 01:36:36,000 --> 01:36:46,000 Okay. 1261 01:36:46,000 --> 01:36:47,000 Excellent. 1262 01:36:47,000 --> 01:36:49,000 So we're simply receiving this. 1263 01:36:49,000 --> 01:36:51,000 Is there a motion to do some? 1264 01:36:51,000 --> 01:36:52,000 So move. 1265 01:36:52,000 --> 01:36:53,000 All those in favor? 1266 01:36:53,000 --> 01:36:54,000 All right. 1267 01:36:54,000 --> 01:36:55,000 Any opposed? 1268 01:36:55,000 --> 01:36:56,000 Second. 1269 01:36:56,000 --> 01:36:57,000 Second. 1270 01:36:57,000 --> 01:36:58,000 Second. 1271 01:36:58,000 --> 01:36:59,000 Second. 1272 01:36:59,000 --> 01:37:00,000 Second. 1273 01:37:00,000 --> 01:37:01,000 Second. 1274 01:37:01,000 --> 01:37:02,000 All right. 1275 01:37:02,000 --> 01:37:04,000 All right. 1276 01:37:05,000 --> 01:37:06,000 All right. 1277 01:37:06,000 --> 01:37:08,000 Motion approved. 1278 01:37:08,000 --> 01:37:10,000 Excellent. 1279 01:37:10,000 --> 01:37:12,000 Thank you, Robin. 1280 01:37:12,000 --> 01:37:13,000 Let's see. 1281 01:37:13,000 --> 01:37:14,000 Item number 11. 1282 01:37:14,000 --> 01:37:18,000 Receive notice of law enforcement, officer reimbursement program, 1283 01:37:18,000 --> 01:37:23,000 transportation security administration, award modification number 1284 01:37:23,000 --> 01:37:32,000 P-0-0-0-0-6, agreement number H-S-T-S-0-0-1-6-H-S-L-R-930 1285 01:37:32,000 --> 01:37:34,000 and take appropriate action. 1286 01:37:34,000 --> 01:37:37,000 Second. 1287 01:37:37,000 --> 01:37:38,000 Second. 1288 01:37:38,000 --> 01:37:40,000 All those in favor? 1289 01:37:40,000 --> 01:37:41,000 All right. 1290 01:37:41,000 --> 01:37:42,000 Any opposed? 1291 01:37:42,000 --> 01:37:44,000 Motion approved. 1292 01:37:44,000 --> 01:37:45,000 41,000. 1293 01:37:45,000 --> 01:37:46,000 Robin, what else? 1294 01:37:46,000 --> 01:37:47,000 Oh, no. 1295 01:37:47,000 --> 01:37:48,000 I was just going to, uh, 1296 01:37:48,000 --> 01:37:49,000 Lini had to leave. 1297 01:37:49,000 --> 01:37:50,000 He did make a call. 1298 01:37:50,000 --> 01:37:52,000 This is a larger allocation on this grant. 1299 01:37:52,000 --> 01:37:54,000 We got logic here. 1300 01:37:54,000 --> 01:37:55,000 For that time, Jerry. 1301 01:37:55,000 --> 01:37:57,000 So we made a call, uh, 1302 01:37:57,000 --> 01:38:00,000 T-T-S-A, and indicated that our flight schedule had increased. 1303 01:38:00,000 --> 01:38:02,000 And so, at least, we did, um, 1304 01:38:02,000 --> 01:38:05,000 apparently see, uh, increased after the end. 1305 01:38:05,000 --> 01:38:07,000 I have discussed about, um, 1306 01:38:07,000 --> 01:38:08,000 made some things for it. 1307 01:38:08,000 --> 01:38:11,000 So hopefully we'll get a little, 1308 01:38:11,000 --> 01:38:14,000 a little bit more on that in the future as well. 1309 01:38:14,000 --> 01:38:16,000 Very good. 1310 01:38:16,000 --> 01:38:17,000 Thank you. 1311 01:38:17,000 --> 01:38:18,000 Item number 12. 1312 01:38:18,000 --> 01:38:24,000 Radify rule, volunteer, fire department, assistant, program grant, 1313 01:38:24,000 --> 01:38:27,000 assistance, award case number 21-04. 1314 01:38:27,000 --> 01:38:29,000 Take appropriate action. 1315 01:38:30,000 --> 01:38:35,000 And Richard, what if we got here? 1316 01:38:35,000 --> 01:38:39,000 That was on the award for the, uh, 1317 01:38:39,000 --> 01:38:40,000 uh, for the four sons. 1318 01:38:40,000 --> 01:38:41,000 Okay. 1319 01:38:41,000 --> 01:38:46,000 26 of the one for the, uh, fire. 1320 01:38:46,000 --> 01:38:48,000 Thank you. 1321 01:38:48,000 --> 01:38:49,000 Thank you. 1322 01:38:49,000 --> 01:38:50,000 Thank you. 1323 01:38:50,000 --> 01:38:52,000 Thank you. 1324 01:38:52,000 --> 01:38:53,000 Thank you. 1325 01:38:53,000 --> 01:38:55,000 Thank you. 1326 01:38:55,000 --> 01:38:56,000 Very good. 1327 01:38:56,000 --> 01:38:57,000 Thank you, Richard. 1328 01:38:57,000 --> 01:38:58,000 All those. 1329 01:38:58,000 --> 01:39:13,000 All those in favor? 1330 01:39:13,000 --> 01:39:14,000 All right. 1331 01:39:14,000 --> 01:39:15,000 Any opposed? 1332 01:39:15,000 --> 01:39:16,000 Motion approved. 1333 01:39:16,000 --> 01:39:18,000 Item 13. 1334 01:39:18,000 --> 01:39:21,000 Receive annual fire safety inspection report for the Victoria region. 1335 01:39:21,000 --> 01:39:25,000 I'll juvenile justice center and take appropriate action. 1336 01:39:25,000 --> 01:39:32,500 Let's see, a copy of that report from Richard, in your packet, anything on that Richard? 1337 01:39:32,500 --> 01:39:35,500 Now, sir, everything you said to me, yes. 1338 01:39:35,500 --> 01:39:37,500 In fact, it's still in the bottom line. 1339 01:39:37,500 --> 01:39:38,500 It's still in the bottom line. 1340 01:39:38,500 --> 01:39:39,500 It's still in the bottom line. 1341 01:39:39,500 --> 01:39:40,500 It did bark her along there. 1342 01:39:40,500 --> 01:39:42,500 They were really wild. 1343 01:39:42,500 --> 01:39:45,500 They were at the end of the 26th. 1344 01:39:45,500 --> 01:39:47,500 They'll do that. 1345 01:39:47,500 --> 01:39:48,500 Thank you. 1346 01:39:48,500 --> 01:39:49,500 Need or see? 1347 01:39:49,500 --> 01:39:50,500 Second. 1348 01:39:50,500 --> 01:39:51,500 All those in favor? 1349 01:39:51,500 --> 01:39:52,500 All right. 1350 01:39:52,500 --> 01:39:53,500 Any opposed? 1351 01:39:53,500 --> 01:39:54,500 Motion approved item-14. 1352 01:39:54,500 --> 01:39:58,500 Consider approval of a contract between Thompson, 1353 01:39:58,500 --> 01:40:01,500 Reuters, West Law, and Victoria County Criminal District, 1354 01:40:01,500 --> 01:40:05,500 to Attorney's Office, and take appropriate action. 1355 01:40:05,500 --> 01:40:06,500 Move for approval. 1356 01:40:06,500 --> 01:40:09,500 Second. 1357 01:40:09,500 --> 01:40:10,500 All those in favor? 1358 01:40:10,500 --> 01:40:11,500 All right. 1359 01:40:11,500 --> 01:40:13,500 Any opposed? 1360 01:40:13,500 --> 01:40:15,500 Motion approved. 1361 01:40:15,500 --> 01:40:19,500 Item number 15, consider approval of letter of request 1362 01:40:19,500 --> 01:40:26,500 from INAs volunteer fire department and take appropriate action. 1363 01:40:26,500 --> 01:40:28,500 Let's see. 1364 01:40:28,500 --> 01:40:35,500 Okay, so this is a request for $5,000. 1365 01:40:35,500 --> 01:40:41,500 It's going to be a request for $5,000 for their barn and new brush truck. 1366 01:40:41,500 --> 01:40:44,500 Their cost is $94,000. 1367 01:40:44,500 --> 01:40:47,500 This was one of those that we discussed when you came to our meeting. 1368 01:40:47,500 --> 01:40:51,500 The one prying in and break in. 1369 01:40:51,500 --> 01:40:55,500 So this is one of their requesting some assistance. 1370 01:40:55,500 --> 01:40:56,500 Okay. 1371 01:40:56,500 --> 01:40:59,500 Does come out of the assistant fund or not? 1372 01:40:59,500 --> 01:41:00,500 Yes, sir. 1373 01:41:00,500 --> 01:41:01,500 It comes out. 1374 01:41:01,500 --> 01:41:03,500 We have right now on the assistant fund at this time. 1375 01:41:03,500 --> 01:41:05,500 We have 41,439. 1376 01:41:05,500 --> 01:41:06,500 We'll have 36. 1377 01:41:06,500 --> 01:41:07,500 Okay. 1378 01:41:07,500 --> 01:41:11,500 So we simply draw that pre that already budgeted amount down. 1379 01:41:11,500 --> 01:41:12,500 Yes. 1380 01:41:12,500 --> 01:41:13,500 No. 1381 01:41:13,500 --> 01:41:14,500 Wonderful. 1382 01:41:14,500 --> 01:41:15,500 Move for approval. 1383 01:41:15,500 --> 01:41:16,500 Thank you. 1384 01:41:16,500 --> 01:41:17,500 All those in favor? 1385 01:41:17,500 --> 01:41:18,500 All right. 1386 01:41:18,500 --> 01:41:19,500 Any opposed? 1387 01:41:19,500 --> 01:41:20,500 Motion approved. 1388 01:41:20,500 --> 01:41:21,500 Thank you, Richard. 1389 01:41:21,500 --> 01:41:22,500 Again. 1390 01:41:22,500 --> 01:41:25,500 Item 16, consider approval of copyright 1391 01:41:25,500 --> 01:41:30,500 Your maintenance agreement between office systems and Victoria County Sheriff's Office 1392 01:41:30,500 --> 01:41:37,500 and take appropriate action. 1393 01:41:37,500 --> 01:41:40,500 Brandy is this a reading? 1394 01:41:40,500 --> 01:41:45,500 Who did put this on here? 1395 01:41:45,500 --> 01:41:50,500 This one was for Gina put it on there. 1396 01:41:50,500 --> 01:42:00,500 And if you approval for this one was, they said you have agreed to the copier class. 1397 01:42:00,500 --> 01:42:01,500 Okay. 1398 01:42:01,500 --> 01:42:02,500 So this is a new. 1399 01:42:02,500 --> 01:42:03,500 It's just our end only. 1400 01:42:03,500 --> 01:42:04,500 Amazing. 1401 01:42:04,500 --> 01:42:06,500 So we've already got this budgeted. 1402 01:42:06,500 --> 01:42:09,500 This is just the new agreement. 1403 01:42:09,500 --> 01:42:10,500 Okay. 1404 01:42:10,500 --> 01:42:11,500 Second. 1405 01:42:11,500 --> 01:42:12,500 All those in favor? 1406 01:42:12,500 --> 01:42:14,500 Any opposed? 1407 01:42:14,500 --> 01:42:15,500 Motion approved. 1408 01:42:15,500 --> 01:42:16,500 Item 17. 1409 01:42:16,500 --> 01:42:25,500 Received letter of permission to enter and work on private property and precinct one for the purpose 1410 01:42:25,500 --> 01:42:27,500 of drainage improvement. 1411 01:42:27,500 --> 01:42:30,500 Uncounty maintained roads and take appropriate action. 1412 01:42:30,500 --> 01:42:32,500 Let's talk to Commissioner Garcia this morning. 1413 01:42:32,500 --> 01:42:39,500 As I speak to this, it's just a standard letter permission of Mr. Rodriguez to enter his property 1414 01:42:39,500 --> 01:42:42,500 to alleviate drainage off of a county road. 1415 01:42:42,500 --> 01:42:43,500 Move for approval. 1416 01:42:43,500 --> 01:42:44,500 Second. 1417 01:42:44,500 --> 01:42:46,500 All those in favor? 1418 01:42:46,500 --> 01:42:47,500 Any opposed? 1419 01:42:47,500 --> 01:42:48,500 Motion approved. 1420 01:42:48,500 --> 01:42:49,500 Item 18. 1421 01:42:49,500 --> 01:42:50,500 Motion approved. 1422 01:42:50,500 --> 01:42:51,500 Item 18. 1423 01:42:51,500 --> 01:42:52,500 Item 18. 1424 01:42:52,500 --> 01:42:53,500 Item 18. 1425 01:42:53,500 --> 01:42:54,500 Item 18. 1426 01:42:54,500 --> 01:42:55,500 Item 18. 1427 01:42:55,500 --> 01:42:56,500 Item 18. 1428 01:42:56,500 --> 01:42:59,500 Mr. Mr. Mr. Mr. 1429 01:42:59,500 --> 01:43:03,500 Consider approval of payment to staff, concrete, construction and 1430 01:43:03,500 --> 01:43:08,500 connection to rabroad project precinct two and take appropriate action. 1431 01:43:08,500 --> 01:43:11,500 It's just for for a history. 1432 01:43:11,500 --> 01:43:13,500 Received approval. 1433 01:43:13,500 --> 01:43:14,500 Second. 1434 01:43:14,500 --> 01:43:15,500 All those in favor? 1435 01:43:15,500 --> 01:43:16,500 Any opposed? 1436 01:43:16,500 --> 01:43:18,500 Motion approved. 1437 01:43:18,500 --> 01:43:22,500 That staff that was for two was for embankments. 1438 01:43:22,500 --> 01:43:25,500 No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. 1439 01:43:25,500 --> 01:43:28,500 How long is the project? 1440 01:43:28,500 --> 01:43:30,500 How many feet? 1441 01:43:30,500 --> 01:43:31,500 Oh. 1442 01:43:32,500 --> 01:43:33,500 You're out. 1443 01:43:33,500 --> 01:43:34,500 The thing for 250. 1444 01:43:34,500 --> 01:43:35,500 It was. 1445 01:43:35,500 --> 01:43:36,500 It was. 1446 01:43:36,500 --> 01:43:38,500 60 feet. 1447 01:43:38,500 --> 01:43:39,500 Total. 1448 01:43:39,500 --> 01:43:40,500 60 feet. 1449 01:43:40,500 --> 01:43:41,500 60. 1450 01:43:41,500 --> 01:43:43,500 I'm just looking at. 1451 01:43:43,500 --> 01:43:44,500 Fifteen. 1452 01:43:44,500 --> 01:43:46,500 Fifteen on each one. 1453 01:43:46,500 --> 01:43:47,500 Yeah. 1454 01:43:47,500 --> 01:43:49,500 And seven inches wide. 1455 01:43:49,500 --> 01:43:50,500 The tops. 1456 01:43:50,500 --> 01:43:51,500 With the footer. 1457 01:43:51,500 --> 01:43:53,500 I've got something coming up. 1458 01:43:53,500 --> 01:43:54,500 Yeah. 1459 01:43:54,500 --> 01:43:55,500 He's very easy. 1460 01:43:55,500 --> 01:43:56,500 Very reasonable. 1461 01:43:56,500 --> 01:43:57,500 Mr. Stavis. 1462 01:43:57,500 --> 01:43:59,500 Item number 19. 1463 01:43:59,500 --> 01:44:02,500 Any in consider approval of proposal from brand and haven. 1464 01:44:02,500 --> 01:44:06,500 In connection to spring, rich and grass land subdivision precinct to. 1465 01:44:06,500 --> 01:44:08,500 And take appropriate action. 1466 01:44:08,500 --> 01:44:09,500 All right. 1467 01:44:09,500 --> 01:44:10,500 Great. 1468 01:44:10,500 --> 01:44:11,500 Structed post seal. 1469 01:44:11,500 --> 01:44:13,500 Grass land is spring, rich. 1470 01:44:13,500 --> 01:44:14,500 I'm going to approve. 1471 01:44:14,500 --> 01:44:15,500 Second. 1472 01:44:15,500 --> 01:44:16,500 All those in favor? 1473 01:44:16,500 --> 01:44:17,500 Aye. 1474 01:44:17,500 --> 01:44:18,500 Any opposed? 1475 01:44:18,500 --> 01:44:19,500 Motion approved. 1476 01:44:19,500 --> 01:44:20,500 Item 20. 1477 01:44:20,500 --> 01:44:21,500 Consider approval of the following. 1478 01:44:21,500 --> 01:44:23,500 2019 budget amendments. 1479 01:44:23,500 --> 01:44:25,500 Take appropriate action. 1480 01:44:25,500 --> 01:44:26,500 All those in favor? 1481 01:44:26,500 --> 01:44:27,500 Aye. 1482 01:44:27,500 --> 01:44:29,500 Any opposed? 1483 01:44:29,500 --> 01:44:31,500 Motion approved. 1484 01:44:31,500 --> 01:44:32,500 Item 21. 1485 01:44:32,500 --> 01:44:34,500 Consider approval of personnel changes. 1486 01:44:34,500 --> 01:44:35,500 Take appropriate action. 1487 01:44:35,500 --> 01:44:37,500 My goal is you've got the summary. 1488 01:44:37,500 --> 01:44:40,500 And then detail on subsequent pages. 1489 01:44:40,500 --> 01:44:42,500 Move approval. 1490 01:44:42,500 --> 01:44:44,500 All those in favor? 1491 01:44:44,500 --> 01:44:45,500 Aye. 1492 01:44:45,500 --> 01:44:46,500 Any opposed? 1493 01:44:46,500 --> 01:44:47,500 Aye. 1494 01:44:47,500 --> 01:44:50,500 Any opposed? 1495 01:44:50,500 --> 01:44:51,500 Aye. 1496 01:44:51,500 --> 01:44:52,500 Any opposed? 1497 01:44:52,500 --> 01:44:53,500 Aye. 1498 01:44:53,500 --> 01:44:54,500 Any opposed? 1499 01:44:55,500 --> 01:44:57,500 Motion approved. 1500 01:44:57,500 --> 01:45:00,500 And item number 22. 1501 01:45:00,000 --> 01:45:08,000 Two is closed meeting pursuant to VTC Government Code 551.074 to discuss personnel various departments. 1502 01:45:08,000 --> 01:45:14,000 And VTC actually know that economic development will push that to next week. 1503 01:45:14,000 --> 01:45:23,000 So this is VTC 851074. For personnel and various departments, we will now go into closed session for that purpose. 1504 01:45:23,000 --> 01:45:28,000 The time is 1147 AM. 1505 01:45:30,000 --> 01:45:55,000 We are coming out of closed session at 113 PM for agenda item number 23, which is pursuant to VTC Government Code 551.102. 1506 01:45:55,000 --> 01:46:01,000 We turn to open meeting and take any action deemed necessary based upon discussion and closed meeting. 1507 01:46:01,000 --> 01:46:05,000 There is no decisions made in the closed meeting. 1508 01:46:05,000 --> 01:46:11,000 No action taken and no action that needs to be taken now. So we will adjourn at 113 PM.